2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Anthony Black could be unique talent at PG

The Washington Wizards have the eighth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series of draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...

Name: Anthony Black

Team: Arkansas

Position: Point guard

Age: 19

Height: 6-7

Weight: 210 lbs.

Wingspan: 6-8

2022/23 stats: 36 G, 12.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.1 spg, 0.6 bpg, 45.3 FG% (4.1/9.1), 30.1 3PT% (0.8/2.6), 70.5 FT% (3.7/5.3)

Player comparison: Josh Giddey, Delon Wright

Projections: NBC Sports Washington 8th, Ringer 9th, Athletic 6th, ESPN 8th, NBADraft.net 6th, Bleacher Report 9th, Yahoo! 6th

5 things to know:

*Black is the highest-ranked point guard in this class behind Scoot Henderson, a projected top-three pick. Black is a unique player at the position in that he's very tall and versatile, especially on the defensive end. Black could develop into a switchable defender with the ability to guard ones, twos, threes and maybe even fours in a pinch. On the offensive end, he has underrated bounce with a 39-inch vertical leap, quick feet and next-level feel as a passer. Black's size and instincts allow him to make passes most point guards can't execute. The more his ball-handling skills develop, the more his speed and leaping ability should shine through.

*Black also stands out for his rebounding at the point guard position, a result of not only his size but his motor and timing. It's not often a point guard projects as a real difference-maker on the glass, but Black does and could someday be the type of guard who regularly flirts with triple-doubles. Another area of the box score he fills up is steals. Black is very disruptive on the perimeter and has a knack for jumping passing lanes to ignite the fastbreak.

*Two areas Black will need to work on at the next level are his shooting and his turnovers. He shot 30.1% from three last season at Arkansas and committed 3.0 turnovers per game. Those numbers will have to get better if he is to fully realize his potential. It's worth noting, however, that Black is not only very young but he looks very young. As he physically matures, he will get stronger and that could help with both ball protection and shooting range.

*Black was a McDonald's All-American as one of the best high school basketball players in the country. He was also a Division 1 football recruit. According to his college bio, Black was also recruited by Arkansas as a three-star wide receiver and he received offers from Texas and Baylor as well.

*His father is a Baylor University Hall of Famer after starring for the basketball team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His mother also played soccer at Texas and Baylor. Black was a soccer player growing up and attributes his feel for passing angles to playing on the pitch.

Fit with Wizards: The Wizards have new front-office leadership, so their roster could look very different come training camp. Black, though, would make plenty of sense for them regardless of which direction they go, as he's the type of player who could find his way on just about any roster due to his versatility.

Say the Wizards stay the course to a relative degree. Black would come in and immediately represent the future at the point guard position. They have both Monte Morris and Delon Wright in place, but both players have just one year left on their contracts. Black could take a year to develop into the starter, while learning the ropes as a tall defensive guard from Wright and how to better protect the ball from both Morris and Wright, two of the best in the game at that skill.

Black's fit next to Bradley Beal could be determined by how he develops as a shooter, as we saw this past season how much more efficient Beal can be when he has a point guard who can stretch the floor. But defensively, Black would be an ideal fit alongside Beal because he can take on taller defensive assignments Beal sometimes struggles with.

In part because of his shooting, the expectations for Black would naturally be higher on defense than the offensive end. But over time, the hope would be he could fill in the gaps of his game much like Giddey has through two years. Giddey upped his scoring average, shooting percentages and got his turnovers down from his rookie year this past season. Black could follow a similar trajectory and maybe down the road be a uniquely valuable two-way guard. If he can develop a reliable outside shot, Black has the chance to be an All-Star in the mold of Tyrese Haliburton.