With the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic selected Arkansas point guard, Anthony Black. It was a selection that many people were confused by, given how many assets the team had already poured into their backcourt in recent years.
Cole Anthony was selected No. 15 overall in the 2020 Draft while Jalen Suggs was picked 5th in the 2021. The Magic still have Markelle Fultz on the roster as well, so it was hard to envision where Black fit into the mix.
However, injuries in the early going of the 2023-24 regular season opened up opportunities for the Arkansas product to get into the lineup from the get-go. He has become a permanent fixture in the team’s starting lineup, replacing Fultz, who is dealing with a knee injury.
Black’s stats aren’t going to blow anyone away, as he is averaging 5.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. He is making 52.7 percent of his shots overall, and 36.6 percent of his 3-pointers on low volume.
If he can consistently make shots from the perimeter while increasing his volume, he will be a dangerous two-way player. We got a glimpse of that in the Magic’s most recent game, a 127-119 victory over the Washington Wizards.
In that game, Black scored a career-high 23 points, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He added six rebounds, one assist and four steals, making some NBA history in the process.
Black was extremely efficient, recording a true shooting percentage of 85.6 percent. According to Brett Usher on X, formerly Twitter, Black is the first teenager to score 20+ points with a true shooting percentage of 85+ percent and four steals in the same game.
The future is bright in Orlando with Black joining a young core that also includes Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. This is a group brimming with upside, as head coach Jamahl Mosley has them playing some excellent basketball.
The Magic are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season, as they improved their record to 18-11 with the victory over the Wizards. This team is only scratching the surface of their potential as Black looks to be their point guard of the future.
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