Arkansas guard Anthony Black declared for the 2023 NBA draft after emerging as one of the best freshmen in the country during the 2022-23 season, Advertise on ESPN Wednesday. Black earned SEC-All Freshman honors while helping guide the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 as part of the nationally ranked second-ranked recruiting class.
At 6-foot-7, Richardson shone at both ends of the field, leading Arkansas in assists and steals while finishing second in points per game at 12.8. Although his 3-point shooting mark of 30.1% should improve at the next level, Black has shown excellent instincts and the intangibles of a young player who has broken into a key role in a top-level program.
Black showed his talent early with consecutive 26-point games during the Maui Invitational in November against Louisville and Creighton. While his goals ebb and flow through the season, his playing ability and defensive productivity helped keep the Razorbacks through an up and down season.
He finished with as many steals in 24 of 36 games and recorded multiple assists on 30 occasions while being ranked as Arkansas’ most efficient all-around player, according to evanmiya.com. Black also showed a knack for getting to the free throw line, which was a huge help for an Arkansas team that struggled offensively in half-court combinations.
Projectionist Anthony Black in the NBA
Black’s excellent positional size makes him one of the most attractive point guard pros in the draft class. At 6-foot-7, he can see defenders and use his height to start offense. He is also a tenacious defender capable of defending multiple positions. Although Black’s outside shooting needed improvement, he proved effective at attacking the basket and showed the body control necessary to hit floats and score on the move.
Black is ranked 10th in the NBA 2023 Draft Prediction Rankings by CBS Sports. He landed 10th in a recent mock draft from Kyle Boone and went 15th in the latest mock draft by Gary Parish.
“Black is nothing but a reliable means of playing away from the lottery pick,” Parish wrote. “The 6-foot-7 guard is an interesting playmaker on the wing who has been the Razorbacks’ best freshman in the absence of (Nick) Smith making any notable impact.”
Impact on Arkansas
Going into the season, there may have been some hope that Arkansas would get more than one season out of the Blacks, who finished 15th in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports. But it became clear fairly early on that he might be draft-ready this year. With fellow five-star guard Nick Smith also being selected in the NBA Draft, Arkansas will once again seek production from newcomers.
Quality improvements are on the way. The Razorbacks have transfer commitments from former Washington guard Keon Minifield, former Houston guard Tramon Mark and former Temple winger Khalif Patel. Upcoming freshmen Leiden Blocker and Bay Fall are also top 25 prospects who should help keep the Razorbacks near the top of the SEC.