Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Arkansas star Anthony Black might ostensibly become the face of the Washington Wizards’ rebuild.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo projected the Wizards to select Black with the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and reported the 6’7″ guard visited the team for a second workout over the weekend.
Black “is strongly in the mix as they eye long-term backcourt options to build around,” per Woo.
The draft will be Washington’s first way to address the roster in a big way following the reported trade of Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman reported Monday that people outside the Wizards “don’t believe they pass on [Black].”
Like Givony, Wasserman had him landing with the team in his final mock draft: “Interest in Black seems to be spreading and growing. The Wizards now seem like his floor. They’ll take the best player available after the Bradley Beal trade, and Black now gives them a jumbo playmaker who can run point and defend wings.
Black averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals in his lone season with the Razorbacks. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor drew a parallel to Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball because of his playmaking and two-way ability.
Nobody expects the Wizards to turn around after the Beal trade and land a player at a similar level to the three-time All-Star.
But Black would address an obvious need because Chris Paul, who’s coming over from Phoenix, almost assuredly won’t open the year on a rebuilding team. The 19-year-old also possesses the kind of skill set that can complement the young stars that would eventually join him in the nation’s capital.
Washington is facing a long road back to contention. Selecting Black would at least be a good way to get the process underway.
