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Arkansas point guard Anthony Black will be a top-10 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. The 6-foot-7 point guard could go as high as No. 6 to the Orlando Magic or as low as No. 8 to the Washington Wizards. So, ahead of Black finding out his NBA destiny, let’s take a look at which current and former NBA players the Razorbacks freshman reminds us of with these Anthony Black player comparisons: Shaun Livingston, LaMelo Ball, and Magic Johnson.
To start, let’s talk about who Black is on the basketball court. What stands out most is that he is the size of most NBA wings yet his game is pure point guard. He is a playmaker in every sense of the word. On offense, he loves to facilitate and had 3.9 assists per game as a freshman. On defense, his length is a problem for the other team, and he loves to jump passing lanes and sneak up behind drivers for steals that lead to breaks. Black averaged 2.1 steals per game in college.
Black isn’t a great shooter. He made just over 30% from 3-point range at Arkansas and 70% of his free throws. Also, he’s not the most explosive athlete, so he doesn’t blow by athletic guards off the dribble.
With all that in mind, let’s look at the Anthony Black player comparisons ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft.
3. Post-injury Shaun Livingston
For those who remember Shaun Livingston in his first few years in the NBA — coming out of high school as the No. 4 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft — Anthony Black is not that.
That young Livingston was an explosive, elite athlete with point guard skills. A severe knee injury cost Livingston more than a season, and when he returned, he was never the same from an athletic standpoint.
However, he still played 11 more NBA seasons and won three championships with the Golden State Warriors. That Warriors era Livingston is the player most NBA fans today remember, and the one who is most like Black.
Late-career Livingston was a tall, below-the-rim guard who could handle the ball, play defense, and lead the second unit while Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson took a breather.
Black is a little more ball-dominant than Livingston was, but not in a bad way. He is a traditional PG who likes to walk the ball up the floor and facilitate for teammates. He also isn’t a great shooter like Livingston but is a tough defender whose length will give opposing guards fits.
2. LaMelo Ball
The current NBA star who is the most apt Anthony Black player comp is Charlotte Hornets PG LaMelo Ball.
Ball is the same size as Black, and they are both elite playmakers. In the NBA game, Black should be able to put up at least seven to eight assists per game, like Ball with the right teammates (which is why the Magic are a much better destination than the Wizards).
The two players do differ a bit. Ball is a better shooter and a better all-around scorer. He averaged 23.3 points per game last season, and Black will probably not be able to do that. However, Black is a better defender both on-ball and in the team concept.
Because of the lack of scoring, Black isn’t the singular, franchise-leading player that Ball is. That said, if he does go to a team that needs more scoring, it’s entirely possible Black will be able to add more of that to his game.
1. Magic Johnson
It’s impossible to have a conversation about supersized NBA point guards without bringing up the best to ever do it, Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Of course, it’s blasphemous to say Magic Johnson is the best Anthony Black player comparison right now. But that is the absolute ceiling for any 6-foot-7-plus PG with elite skills.
What makes Black so interesting is that he has the talent to run a team with the best of them and the size to do all types of different things. In the modern NBA, being a versatile player is more valuable than ever, and Black’s size and skills make him just that.
Not only can Black run a team, but he can also fit into multiple roles on offense on a possession-by-possession basis. If he doesn’t have the ball, he can go down in the post and punish smaller guards, come off screens for lobs, or act as the ball-handler or the screen man in pick-and-roll sets.
On defense, Black is one of the rare players who can truly guard four positions and guard them well. And against small-ball lineups, he can check all five players on the court.
Magic Johnson once famously played all five positions in an NBA Finals game. Black is built to be that type of player, and if he maximizes his potential, he can at least be a Magic-esque NBA star.
