NBA
AB
#0

Anthony Black

Guard · Orlando Magic · 6'7", 200 lb · Born Jan 20, 2004 · Irving, Texas · Drafted 6th overall, 2023
No. 6 pick (2023)Rising guardPlaymakerTwo-way tools
NBAOrlando MagicGuards
Compare:vs Banevs Wagnervs Bitadzevs Suggsvs Isaacvs Banchero
In short

Anthony Black is a 6-foot-7 combo guard for the Orlando Magic, drafted 6th in 2023 out of Arkansas. A McDonald's All-American from an athletic Texas family, he is a big playmaking guard with defensive tools whose scoring has climbed sharply — from under 5 points as a rookie to 15 a game by 2025-26, including a career-high 38-point outburst.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceSat, Nov 14
@New York KnicksDrop coverage
Proj. points
14.8
range 12.1–17.5
Line 15
48%
to go over
Team win
39%
111–113
Poi 14.8 Lean underReb 3.8 Lean underAss 3.7 Lean overPRA 22.3 Lean under
Likely on himKarl-Anthony Towns· 88 Rim protectionElite stopper
10+ pts95%15+ pts47%20+ pts4%

Model lines Black at 14.8 pts (range 12.1–17.5) vs a 15 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (48%).

Biggest edge: scheme fit — drop coverage concedes the pull-up/mid-range he likes.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
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The Black Story — narrated
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A big, rising playmaking guard — size, defense, and a fast-climbing scoring game for the Magic.

From an athletic Texas family, Black was a McDonald's All-American at Arkansas before Orlando drafted him 6th in 2023.

🏫 Arkansas · 6th, 2023Irving, TX

A 6-foot-7 combo guard, he brings size, playmaking, and defensive tools.

Big guardTwo-way

His scoring climbed sharply — to a career-high 38 and 15 a game by 2025-26.

38-pt game15.0 ppg

A rising two-way guard, he's a building block of Orlando's core.

RisingBuilding block
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
15
2025-26
RPG
3.8
per game
APG
3.7
per game
FG%
.447
.333 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A big, rising playmaking guard — size, defense, and a sharply climbing scoring game for the Magic.

Anthony Black was born in Irving, Texas to two college athletes and was a McDonald's All-American before one season at Arkansas, where he averaged nearly 13 points and 4 assists. Orlando drafted him 6th in 2023 as a big combo guard with size, playmaking, and defensive tools.

His development has been steep — from under 5 points as a rookie to a career-high 38-point game and 15 points a game by 2025-26 — establishing him as a rising two-way guard in Orlando's young core.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Black comes from an athletic family — his father played college basketball at Baylor and professionally overseas, his mother played college soccer — and reportedly spoke fluent German as a young child. A McDonald's All-American and FIBA U18 gold medalist, he arrived in the NBA with pedigree and polish for his age.

His on-court identity is big-guard versatility — a 6-foot-7 playmaker who rebounds and defends multiple positions while creating for others. His shooting has been inconsistent (a modest career three-point percentage), but the sharp climb in his scoring points to real offensive growth to match his size and defensive tools.

PERSONALITY

The person

A big, versatile playmaking guard — size, defense, and a fast-rising scoring game.

Big guardA 6-foot-7 playmaker who rebounds and defends multiple spots.
Rising scorerScoring tripled from rookie year to 15 a game by year three.
Two-way toolsDefensive versatility to pair with his playmaking.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Big Lead Guard · Defender
Temperament
Connector
Leadership
58/100
Scoring65
Playmaking60
Rebounding43
Perimeter D80
Rim protection23
Spacing59
Athleticism70
Clutch65
a big lead guard and defensive playmaker
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Size and rising offense

Black's value is big-guard versatility — a 6-foot-7 playmaker who rebounds, defends multiple positions, and creates, with a scoring game that tripled from his rookie year to 15 points a game (and a 38-point high). That trajectory, on top of his defensive tools, marks him as a rising two-way guard for Orlando's young core.

Shooting to solidify

The developmental key is perimeter shooting — a modest career three-point percentage that, if it stabilizes, would unlock his big-guard profile fully. His size, playmaking, and defense already give him a role; consistent outside shooting would elevate his ceiling toward a genuine two-way starter.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266429.815.03.83.7.447.333

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2023Drafted 6th overall out of Arkansas; a McDonald's All-American
2025Career-high 38 points vs. Denver
GrowthScoring roughly tripled from rookie year to 15 a game by 2025-26

Hardware

6th
Draft pick (2023)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A big, rising two-way guard — size, defense, and a fast-climbing scoring game for Orlando.

Black's scoring has climbed sharply — to 15 a game by 2025-26 — establishing him as a rising two-way guard in Orlando's young core. His size, playmaking, and defensive tools give him a role now; consistent perimeter shooting is the key to a genuine two-way starter ceiling.

PlaymakingStrong
Size / defenseStrong
ScoringRising
Three-point shootingDeveloping

Contract

Draft
6th, 2023 young
Role
Combo guard rising
Age
22 rising
Bottom line

A big, versatile playmaking guard with defensive tools and a fast-climbing scoring game — a rising two-way building block for Orlando, with shooting the piece to solidify.

FAQ

Quick answers

What kind of player is Anthony Black?

A 6-foot-7 combo guard — a big playmaker who rebounds and defends multiple positions, with a scoring game that has climbed sharply to 15 points a game.

How has Anthony Black developed?

His scoring roughly tripled from under 5 points as a rookie to 15 a game by 2025-26, including a career-high 38-point game.

Where did Anthony Black play college basketball?

One season at Arkansas, after being a McDonald's All-American, before Orlando drafted him 6th overall in 2023.