Anthony Black wasn't the most glamorized prospect to come out of last year's draft. But he was generally regarded as a bonafide lockdown perimeter and on-ball defender, proving that as an Arkansas Razorback time and time again.
With an extensive wingspan as a 6-foot-7, 200-pound guard, great anticipatory skills and swift lateral tracking entering the league, Black's upside as a lengthy defensive-minded wing and secondary ball handler was on display throughout his 66 games played and 33 starts.
He did this on an already loaded defensive squad, as the budding Magic had a highly successful season to continue their upward trend of recent years. The No. 5 seed, a top-three defensive rating and taking a talented Cleveland Cavaliers team to seven games, Orlando's established foundation is a cause for them to be excited and hopeful for the coming years.
Black could be an extension of that hope next season. After being cut out of the stricter playoff rotations from head coach Jamahl Mosley, who ran anywhere from eight to eleven players excluding blowouts, Black could all but watch from the sideline as the Magic were eliminated in Round 1 on Sunday afternoon.
He'd find some but very little time on the floor throughout the seven contests, picking up just 11 minutes across the only two games decided by 20 or more points.
This minimal time in certainly the most important several games of the season has to either take a toll or provide great motivation mentally. And with Black's demeanor and quality of play throughout the regular season, I'd bet money that it's the latter.
In year two, Black's physical maturity and understanding of player tendencies will surely come more into play in his incremental progression. A lot of that comes with experience, which of course is why he was left out this postseason on an already stacked defensive lineup.
But even though they're already formidable on that front, Black has the necessary tools and tangibles to be the best defending guard on this team over the course of the next few seasons. Whether he makes that leap next year and is able to provide effective postseason minutes is all contingent on his development. With the way Orlando's staff has molded it's up-and-comers in Jalen Suggs, Franz Wanger and Paolo Banchero, Black is seemingly in great hands.
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