2023 NBA Mock Draft: Trail Blazers get future star, Magic surprise at 6
By Tyler Watts
8. Washington Wizards select Anthony Black
It feels like the teardown is finally coming in the nation’s capital. The Bradley Beal rumors are percolating as a new front office takes over the Wizards. Will the three-time All-Star find a new home on draft night? A rebuild opens the door for Washington to select the best available player.
Black is a 6’6 point guard with a 6’8 wingspan that can see over the defense and competes hard on both ends of the floor. The 19-year-old is the perfect player to build around because he is unselfish and gets the ball moving around the court. His high basketball IQ and defense are things the Wizards can invest in as they look to get back to the playoffs.
Black averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 steals in 34.9 minutes per game during his lone season at Arkansas. The 6’6 point guard shot just 30.1 percent from 3-point range, and he must improve his mechanics if he plans on even making one-third of his long-range attempts in the NBA. It is his biggest question mark heading into the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Washington Wizards need talent to begin a rebuild, and Anthony Black offers that. He could go anywhere from four to nine on June 22, and the Wizards after ecstatic he fell to them at eight in this mock draft.