Trail Blazers 2023 NBA Draft Big Board 3.0: Final pre-lottery rankings

5. Anthony Black, Arkansas

Big Board 2.0 rank – No. 4

Black drops one spot here, but not through any fault of his own. Other than Victor Wembanyama, there might not be a more perfect plug-and-play prospect for the Blazers’ current roster. If, by some miracle, Lillard stays and Portland keeps a pick that isn’t No. 1 overall, Black is the perfect complimentary guard for Dame and Anfernee Simons.

Or, if Lillard is gone, he’s the perfect complimentary guard for Simons and/or Sharpe.

Black is a 6-7 pass-first playmaker, quite possibly the smartest player in the entire 2023 draft class, and has the length, IQ, and functional athleticism to be a potential All-NBA defender.

Black averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on an underachieving Arkansas team that featured another likely lottery pick in Nick Smith Jr. Smith is a pure scoring guard, so it shouldn’t be much of an adjustment for Black to step into a situation like Portland’s and thrive next to another one.

The 19-year-old is a natural passer from any area of the floor and an instinctive creator in the half court, which is only magnified by his height. He can run an offense or be a high-level connecting part of it, moving the ball and manipulating defenses.

Black isn’t a great shooter, which is holding him back from being considered as a top-five pick. He’s athletic enough and crafty enough, though, to be able to get to the rim and score.

Regardless of what Cronin does with the Blazers roster this summer, Black would be a fit.