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NBA Draft 2020: Evaluating UNC Basketball stand out freshman Cole Anthony

By Daniel Priest

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 06: Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels  (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

A perfect blend

Anthony’s mix of athleticism and natural scoring ability will set him apart from other draft prospects.

Anthony’s measurables do not jump off the page when reading them. He comes in at six-foot-three inches tall and he weighs 190 pounds. What’s more eye-catching is his athleticism. Anthony can make eye-popping plays on both sides of the ball due to his leaping ability.

His athleticism was on display on more than one occasion during the “Battle 4 Atlantis” in UNC’s matchup with Oregon. He showed out defensively:

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1200466488668368896?s=20

Blocks like that are special for a big man to pull off, Anthony is doing it as a point guard. That’s the type of freakish athletic ability that front office’s in the NBA have long coveted. Anthony also showed that it translates to other end of the floor:

The intriguing part of Anthony’s game is that he’s not just an athletic freak. There are legitimate skill and substance behind those eye-popping plays. While Anthony’s percentages have not been great to start this season, he has consistent form and a good touch on his shots.

He offers a ton of value because he can make a variety of shots. Coming off screens, spotting up, or creating with his own dribble; Anthony seems to be comfortable with all of those shots.

Anthony has displayed NBA range on his jumper already:

What’s most impressive about that move is it came off the dribble. At Anthony’s age, being able to step-back, off the dribble, and drain long jumpers is a legitimate skill. He looks every bit as comfortable hitting shots with no dribble too:

It’s worth noting that in this instance, Anthony did not even come off of a screen. He has enough confidence in his shot that as soon as he caught and felt he had enough space, he was free to fire away. When you combine freakish hops with his soft touch on his jumper, Anthony offers a lot of value to teams on the offensive end of the court.

His jump shot features a consistent form. He almost always keeps his body squared to the basket and he has a consistent, high follow-through.

Perhaps even more intriguing than his athleticism and scoring is the IQ that Anthony has on the offensive end, and his capability to make the correct reads and help his team win games.

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