The 2020 NBA draft is just a few months away, and many talented prospects will wait to hear their name called. Out of everyone, there are very few with more potential than North Carolina standout Cole Anthony. The 6’3″ point guard is projected by most to be a top-five pick and quickly develop into one of the premier players in the NBA. He has endured some ups and downs throughout his collegiate career, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the top prospects in the nation.
2020 NBA Draft Profile for Cole Anthony
College Career
As a five star recruit out of high school, Anthony had his fair share of options to play college basketball. He was recruited by some of the top schools in the nation such as Oregon, Georgetown, and Notre Dame. Anthony ultimately committed to the University of North Carolina as he believed it would give him the best chance to succeed. He was immediately named the team’s starting point guard and dazzled in the season opener. He scored a school-record 34 points along with 11 rebounds and five assists in a win over Notre Dame.
His season was going very smoothly up until December 15th where Anthony was ruled out indefinitely with a knee injury. While he was forced to miss a substantial amount of time he overcame the injury and scored 24 points in his return. On the season he is currently averaging 20.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. Even with the injury, Anthony has been one of the most exciting players to watch this season.
Strengths
- He possesses elite athleticism which he showcases in the open court
- His explosiveness makes him a nasty finisher in traffic
- A fearless player who’s not afraid challenge opponents in the paint
- Has an array of tricks in his offensive arsenal to finish shots
- A solid three-point shooter who can catch fire quickly
- His ability to shoot off the dribble makes him extremely difficult to defend
- Efficient at drawing fouls and converting them into points
- For a smaller player, he rebounds at an impressive rate
- Very solid defender both on the perimeter and in the paint who is not afraid to get physical
- While he isn’t the flashiest passer, he still has good vision to find open teammates
- Has great off-ball energy and is always looking to get open
- He is a very low risk, high reward player
Weaknesses
- Lacks length for a guard under six foot four
- Needs to find more overall consistency in his scoring
- While it’s not a liability he will need to improve his passing if he wishes to have success at the next level
- Has to be more efficient in his shot selection
- Occasionally is reckless with the ball as he averages almost 3.5 turnovers per game
- Very streaky shooter who you never really know what type of game you’ll get out of him
- Needs some minor refinement in his defensive footwork
NBA Player Comparison
While it will take a little work and refinement, Anthony is a close comparison to Boston Celtics‘ point guard Kemba Walker. Both players have a very similar play style and all-around game. They both possess elite athleticism as well as the ability to score from all levels of the court. While Walker is a better passer, they are very similar in multiple aspects of the game.
NBA Draft Projection
Cole Anthony has the potential to one day become one of the NBA’s household names. His all-around style of play and his high ceiling will garner the attention of just about every NBA team. Assuming Anthony continues to perform at an efficient rate and doesn’t sustain any major injuries he will likely be a top 15 pick in this year’s draft with potential to move into the top ten. .
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