Anthony Black Talks Josh Giddey Comparisons Ahead of the NBA Draft
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Oklahoma City has been linked to a variety of players throughout the pre-draft process.
Out of all eligible prospects in the draft pool, nobody fits the Thunder mold quite like Arkansas point guard Anthony Black. Oklahoma City has made an emphasis on tall creators that can handle the ball and attack from the perimeter — and Black does just that.
At 6-foot-7, his size his a massive advantage in transition and in the half court, as he creates mismatches all across the floor.
“I think it (size) helps in my reads,” Black said in an interview with Shams Charania. “Just going back, watching a lot of film, I’ve watched a lot of film from this season, and some of the reads I’m making I’m just looking straight and the defender’s not tall enough to block it. I can read the back line of the defense a lot easier I feel like, than a smaller guard.”
He’s able to get to the rim and shoot over smaller defenders with ease, which is a massive plus in today’s NBA. At Arkansas, Black did it all totaling 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game playing 34.9 minutes a night.
His creation skills allow for serious upside in his pro-game. Oklahoma City has plenty of creators on the current roster, but Black’s size and versatility could make for a seamless fit on both ends of the floor.
“When I was real young, like a kid, I liked watching Gilbert Arenas,” Black said. “I was too young to know why, but I had a jersey and he was my favorite player. Growing up, I really liked Kobe a lot. Just the way he was on the court, his work ethic and all of that.”
At Arkansas, Black ended up watching a familiar face and taking a few pointers from Oklahoma City’s point guard of the future. Josh Giddey has many of the same strengths that Black has, as the Australian point guard is 6-foot-8 and building a reputation as one of the best passers in the NBA.
“I hear a lot of Josh Giddey (comparisons),” Black said. “I watched him a lot his rookie year. I was still pretty young at the time and I just liked the way he made reads — he wasn’t sped up. I kind of see a little bit of myself in that.”
Oklahoma City would almost certainly have to trade up to select Black, but it could pay off down the line. He’s a special talent with the ball in his hands and fits what the Thunder seems to be building.
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