One of the more valuable archetypes in the NBA right now is the jumbo-sized ball handler. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly can’t get enough of them, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey all being bigger guys that can handle the rock. There are plenty other examples around the league, but having a player like that can really change a basketball team. That’s part of the reason a prospect like Anthony Black of Arkansas is such a hot commodity heading into the 2023 NBA Draft.

As a freshman, Black averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the Razorbacks. The 6-foot-7 guard also quickly proved to be wise beyond his years as he was the primary playmaker for Arkansas. Black was also the player that constantly got his team settled down in key moments, and those are traits that should allow him to stand out at the next level. Poise is something that you simply can’t teach, and Black has it at just 19 years old.

Black is a floor general in every way imaginable and it’s going to be fun to watch him operate with NBA spacing. Black is one of the best pick-and-roll processors in this year’s draft class, as he knows exactly how to attack defenses in those situations. Black is fully capable of hitting roll men with the lob, but he’s also great at threading pocket passes. Black also occasionally uses the pick-and-roll as something of a decoy to find someone that isn’t involved in the play. His court vision is special, and his teammates should love having somebody like him to run the show.

Another aspect of Black’s playmaking is that he doesn’t always need to be serving as the lead guard to make an impact. Black played with a lot of talented players in his one year in Fayetteville, so he had to find ways to make his mark off the ball — without being much of an outside shooter. Black did that by finding himself in the right spots and making very quick decisions when the ball came his way. A lot of people throw the word connector around these days, and Black just might be the best example of that in the draft. However, it almost feels like calling Black a connector is selling him short. He can be a lot more than that.

Not only is Black great at finding his teammates when attacking in pick-and-roll situations, but he is also a dangerous downhill driver. Black has a quick first step and uses his long steps to glide to the rim. That’s helpful when he is trying to get his own offense off the screen, or when he’s looking to just beat his man in isolatation. Black just needs to work on his finishing a bit. He can be guilty of settling for off-balance floaters, which is usually a product of him picking up his dribble a little too early. If he can clean that up a bit, he’ll be a lot more dangerous as a driver. But the most important thing is that he can get to the cup when he wants to. Black is also good at drawing fouls, as he had 17 games in which he shot at least five free throws last year. That’s an incredibly valuable skill in the NBA, and it’s one that tends to translate.

With all the things Black does well on the offensive end already, it is not difficult to see him making an impact on the game as is. However, he can enter another stratosphere if he ever develops his jumper. Black shot just 30.1 percent from deep last year, while only knocking down 70.5 percent of his free throws. In order to reach his fullest potential, he’s going to have to be more reliable, at least when he’s left open. Black does have a feel for shooting the ball, but he has a wonky release — mostly due to a left hand that is far too involved. It almost looks like Black shoots with two hands, but that is something that should be addressed as early as the pre-draft process. And if I had to guess, Black will find a way to knock shots down eventually. I’m just bullish on what he brings to the table, and I’m not betting against a guy that thinks the game at the level he does.

The interesting thing about Black is that he has the potential to be an unbelievable offensive player, but there’s a good chance that always comes second to his tremendous defense. Black is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in this draft class, as he gets right up into opposing guards and keeps his arms up to really make his presence felt. It can be overwhelming for a ball handler to have to deal with a guard that has his combination of size and foot speed. Black also has very active hands and a sound ability to jump passing lanes, which is part of the reason he had an impressive steal rate of 3.4% last year. Also, with his height and length, he should be able to defend most guards, while also being able to check small forwards in a pinch.

Overall, Black is the type of player that will have his fingerprints all over games, and he’ll do so on both ends of the floor. And his versatility should allow him to fit with most teams. Black is the type of player that most lottery teams should be eager to draft. His diverse skill set gives him an extremely high floor, and he should immediately help his next team increase its win total. But if that jumper ever becomes a legitimate weapon, Black will be a player that a lot of teams regret passing on. That jumper could be the difference between him being a high-level role player and an All-Star-level talent.