NBA Comparison: Mo Williams

Strengths: Anthony is an aggressive, confident, score-first point guard who, at 6’3, 190 lbs has decent size for the position … Above average athleticism, he possesses solid speed, body dexterity, agility and quickness … Wired to score, and when at his best is capable of putting up points in a hurry, with the shot-making ability and ball skills to do damage at all 3 levels … Seems to be most comfortable and effective with the ball in his hands, is a natural creator … Loves to attack in isolation or when the defense isn’t set, very good in the open court and has the aggressiveness and ball-handling to create on the fly and apply pressure on the defense … Good, strong 1st step off the bounce … One of the best in the 2020 draft class at making difficult shots, which is both a blessing and a curse … Has shown that he has good touch, and the groundwork is there for him to become an efficient mid-range player due to his promising pull-up and step back jumpers, and a few effective floaters that he already has in his bag … Can finish with either hand and has the ability to make difficult lay-ins around the rim at times against tough defense … When he decides to go in playmaker mode, he occasionally shows adequate passing skills and the ability to make the right play when the defense is breaking down … Contributes defensively and on the glass, nearly 6 rpg (5.7) as a Fr. and has the potential to be a pretty good defender with more experience, as he should be able to guard his position and the 2-guard spot depending on the matchup … Has the type of sturdy base, strength, toughness and athleticism to contain dribble penetration from most guards, and he strung together some strong possessions and made a few timely steals that turned into points for UNC as a Fr that illustrates his potential on that end … Doesn’t shy away from contact, will only fare better dealing with physicality as he gets older … Made a few impressive help side blocks this season, indicating both sound instincts and athleticism … Strong bloodlines, his father, Greg, was a college star at UNLV and played 11 seasons in the NBA at PG … Solid physical profile for a point guard at 6’3 in shoes and possessing a 6’4.5 wingspan …

Weaknesses: Anthony will need to develop his ability to be an efficient team player to reach his full potential and optimal value in the league … There’s a concern that if he’s not talented enough to be effective as a team leader (standout), he may struggle to contribute … Borders on overconfident at times … Got in the bad habit of over-penetrating and throwing up wild contested shots, attempting to draw fouls and often ended up being well contested misses … While he has the talent to impress, he at times struggles with his shot selection (38% FG) and general decision-making (4 apg to 3.5 topg) … Shot just 75% from the free throw line in his freshman year, down considerably from his near 90% in high school … Can be a bit sloppy with the ball in stretches, forcing the action and over dribbling to cause turnovers, and isn’t quite a natural playmaker for others or a true floor general from the lead guard spot …  It seems to take a concerted effort for him to pass, only sporadically scoring and setting up teammates well in the same game … UNC didn’t have much spacing or shooting, but Anthony did miss some chances to make passes to open teammates, especially off the dribble, often settling for more difficult shots than necessary … Put together some strong scoring performances, but also struggled against the stronger teams that UNC faced in the ACC slate … Teams will want to get a better gauge on his deep shooting skills, as he shot with confidence and had a good reputation as a prep player, but was a lackluster 34% from downtown as a Freshman and it may take time for him to consistently knock down shots from NBA range … Shooting release is somewhat slow and he isn’t a knockdown shooter against closeouts even with his feet set, though he isn’t someone to just leave open and dare to shoot … Has good defensive potential, but still is green and will gamble or put himself in bad positions, sometimes by defending screens incorrectly (going underneath when a good shooter has the ball, staying tight when a non shooter has it, etc)…Some teams will question if Anthony projects more as a franchise player or as a contributing scoring option, some may be high on his upside as a scoring guard while others may point to his scoring acumen and work-in-progress decision making skills as the main reason that he isn’t a lead guard … Has the swagger and confidence of a high school and college star, but may be in for a rude awakening at the next level as he may have to fight through considerable adversity to figure out how to utilize his skills and be an NBA contributor … Though his team was decimated with injuries and not really constructed well, he will have to attempt to explain why a typical powerhouse like UNC struggled so much with him there as a ballyhooed recruit, even after he returned after missing a month with a knee injury … Will be 20 years old as an NBA rookie, making him slightly older than most of the Fr in his class …

Overall: A highly decorated HS player, and has the kind of natural talent and upside that will be intriguing for teams picking in the lottery … Anthony comes into this draft after productive Freshman season on an extremely disappointing squad … He showed the scoring punch and talent that made him such a highly touted recruit, and there aren’t many prospects in this class with the type of upside that Anthony possesses … He can score, defend and rebound well at the guard spot and already has good strength for a young backcourt player … His decision making and shot selection are both in need of improvement and will be the main things he will need to sharpen to reach his potential as a player … May be more a scoring guard than a floor general, but in an increasingly position-less NBA, he should still become an essential player given his raw all-around skills and talent, as well as the fact that he has been lauded as a great competitor who has been praised by coaches for his work ethic…Even though UNC had a disappointing season (that was hit hard by injuries, most notably including to Cole Anthony) it was good to see that Anthony generally showed a competitive fire to fight through and try to get the most from himself on a team that was largely ineffective on the perimeter, besides him … Could fare better in the NBA not having to take quite as many tough (double-teamed) shots as he did this past season … Apologists liken him to a similar style player in fellow Tar Heel and mid lotto pick in 2019 Coby White …

Notes: Measured 6’1.5 barefoot,187 lbs, with a 6’4.5 wingspan at The Academy in the summer of 2019 … Son of former UNLV and NBA standout point guard Greg Anthony who won a National Championship at UNLV and played 11 years in the NBA … Grew up in New York City … Played High Sxhool ball at famed Oak Hill Academy in Virginia …

Jorrye Nixon 5/13/20

Strengths: 6’3 point guard … Explosive athlete. Quick in the open floor with the ball. Great body control, as his body form doesn’t break in the air. Glides to the rim and finishes dunks with either hand. Knows how to translate his athleticism into game situations and in half court settings. Quick off the ground. Fearless driver and challenges anyone of size at the rim … Draws fouls at a high rate. Shot a fourth most 7.3 free throws per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and a league best 9.1 per game in 2018 … Reliable free throw shooter. Shot 87.5% FT% at the U18 Americas Championship. Shot 81.7% FT% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 89% FT% in 2018. Shot 90.9% FT% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 … Quick first step and beats the defense fairly easily. Natural ability to create offense. Scores well from anywhere on the floor. Can shoot off the catch or dribble. Can shoot on the move as well as stop on a dime and pull up from midrange. Good touch on floater jumping off either or both feet, as well as crafty finishing with either hand at various angles … Averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 50.8% FG% at the U18 Americas Championship. Averaged 16.3 points per game while shooting 46.1% FG% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and led the EYBL in scoring in 2018 with 26.9 points per game. Finished top five in scoring at the NBPA Top 100 with 13.5 points per game in 2017. Averaged 18.2 points per game while shooting 50.8% FG% at adidas Nations in 2017 … Good three-point shooter, showing great progression throughout his high school career and has range out to the NBA 3PT line. Shot 35.6% 3P% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 38.1% 3P% on 7.1 attempts per game in 2018. Shot 46.2% 3P% at adidas Nation in 2017 at 5.2 attempts per game … Good ballhandler, controls the tempo, and handles well under pressure. Breaks down and knifes through the defense. Can get to the rim off the dribble and changes direction well. Changes speed and slows the game down in traffic and on drives, making reads and decisions quickly, standing out against most players his age … Good passing ability and court vision in both the half court and in transition. Good pick and roll ballhandler, makes pocket passes to the roll man. Draws the defense and kicks to the open man. Point guard skills have made strides over his high school career. Can play off the ball as well … Averaged 4.2 assists per game at the U18 Americas Championship. Finished second on the Nike EYBL in assists in 2017 with seven per game to 1.9 turnovers per game. Finished fourth in assists at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 with 4.2 per game. Averaged 3.2 assists per game at adidas Nations in 2017 … Good rebounder for position. Averaged 7.8 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2018 … Good defender with his lateral quickness, intensity, and competitiveness. Anticipates passes. Averaged 1.2 steals per game at the U18 Americas Championship in 2018. Led the Nike EYBL in steals in 2017 with 2.6 per game and 1.4 steals per game in 2018. Averaged 1.4 steals per game at adidas Nations in 2017. Blocks shots well for a guard … Has improved physically over the years … Great aggression and confidence …

Weaknesses: Doesn’t have standout size and length with a 6’5 wingspan and 7’11 standing reach … Body isn’t overly strong … High-volume shooter and shot selection can improve … Overdribbles at times … Can be turnover prone. Averaged 2.7 turnovers per game at the U18 Americas Championship. Averaged 3.5 assists to a third most 3.9 turnovers per game over the Nike EYBL in 2018. Finished fifth in turnovers at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 with 2.2 per game … Good defender and comes away with many steals but tends to gamble a lot … Has room to tighten up his game with consistency and efficiency. Making reads as a full-time point guard may be quite the adjustment as he progresses levels … Has made great strides as a shooter and shot 38.1% 3PT% over the Nike EYBL in 2018 but some of his inefficient games include: 5-15 against Expressions Elite, 3-15 FG & 0-5 3PT against Woodz Elite, 6-18 FG & 1-7 3PT against Team Takeover, 12-33 FG & 2-14 3PT against Seattle Rotary Style, 8-23 FG against BABC  … Older for his class, will turn 19 at the end of his senior year of high school …

Outlook: Incoming North Carolina freshman … Played his senior year at Oak Hill Academy … Earned MVP of the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game with 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists to no turnovers. Won the McDonald’s All-American 3PT Contest for the boys … MVP of the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic with 25 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals … 2019 Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year … Scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the 2019 Nike Hoop Summit … 2018 All-Peach Jam: First Team with averages of 26.2 points, 37.9 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 8.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and two steals per game … 2018 Nike EYBL Most Valuable Player … Won gold at the U18 Americas Championship … Son of NBA standout point guard from the late 80’s/early 90’s Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV teams, Greg Anthony …

Evan Tomes 5/8/19

Strengths: 6’3 point guard … Explosive athlete. Quick in the open floor with the ball. Tremendous body control, as his body form doesn’t break in the air. Glides to the rim and finishes dunks with either hand. Knows how to translate his athleticism into game situations and in half court settings. Quick off the ground. Fearless driver and challenges anyone of size at the rim … Draws fouls at a high rate. Shot a fourth most 7.3 free throws per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and a league best 9.1 per game in 2018 … Reliable free throw shooter. Shot 87.5% FT% at the U18 Americas Championship. Shot 81.7% FT% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 89% FT% in 2018. Shot 90.9% FT% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 … Quick first step and beats the defense fairly easily. Natural ability to create offense. Scores well from anywhere on the floor. Can shoot off the catch or dribble. Can shoot on the move as well as stop on a dime and pull up from midrange. Good touch on floater jumping off either or both feet, as well as finishing with either hand at various angles … Averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 50.8% FG% at the U18 Americas Championship. Averaged 16.3 points per game while shooting 46.1% FG% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and led the EYBL in scoring in 2018 with 26.9 points per game. Finished top five in scoring at the NBPA Top 100 with 13.5 points per game in 2017. Averaged 18.2 points per game while shooting 50.8% FG% at adidas Nations in 2017 … Three-point shooting has progressed throughout his high school career. Shot 35.6% 3P% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 38.1% 3P% on 7.1 attempts per game in 2018. Shot 46.2% 3P% at adidas Nation in 2017 at 5.2 attempts per game … Good ballhandler and controls the tempo. Breaks down and knifes through the defense. Can get to the rim off the dribble and changes direction well. Changes speed and slows the game down in traffic and on drives, making reads and decisions quickly, standing out against most players his age … Good passing ability and court vision in both the half court and in transition. Draws the defense and kicks to the open man. Point guard skills have made great strides over his high school career … Averaged 4.2 assists per game at the U18 Americas Championship. Finished second on the Nike EYBL in assists in 2017 with seven per game to 1.9 turnovers per game. Finished fourth in assists at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 with 4.2 per game. Averaged 3.2 assists per game at adidas Nations in 2017 … Good rebounder for position. Averaged 7.8 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2018 … Good defender with his quickness, intensity, and competitiveness. Anticipates passes. Averaged 1.2 steals per game at the U18 Americas Championship. Led the Nike EYBL in steals in 2017 with 2.6 per game and 1.4 steals per game in 2018. Averaged 1.4 steals per game at adidas Nations in 2017 … Has improved physically over the years … Great aggression and confidence …

Weaknesses: Doesn’t have standout size and length with a 6’3.5 wingspan … Body isn’t overly strong … High-volume shooter and shot selection can improve. Has improved his shooting and overall, shoots well from outside but still has his games where he’s not connecting and continues to let if fly. Some of his poor shooting percentages over the Nike EYBL in 2018 include: 5-15 against Expressions Elite, 3-15 FG & 0-5 3P against Woodz Elite, 6-18 FG & 1-7 3P against Team Takeover, 12-33 FG & 2-14 3P against Seattle Rotary Style, 8-23 FG against BABC. Shot 6.7% 3P% (1-15) at the 2017 NBPA Top 100. Shot 41% FG% at the NBA Top 100 in 2017 … Overdribbles at times … Turnover prone. Averaged 2.7 turnovers per game at the U18 Americas Championship. Averaged 3.5 assists to a third most 3.9 turnovers per game. Finished fifth in turnovers at the NBPA Top 100 in 2017 with 2.2 per game … Good defender and comes away with many steals but tends to gamble a lot … Has room to tighten up his game, as he looks to improve consistency and efficiencies. Not a bad thing that Anthony can light it up as a scorer and definitely provides lead guard traits but transitioning into a full-time point guard may be quite the adjustment as he progresses levels … Older for his class, will turn 19 at the end of his senior year …

Outlook: Transferring from Archbishop Malloy to Oak Hill Academy for his senior year … 2018 All-Peach Jam: First Team with averages of 26.2 points, 37.9 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 8.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and two steals per game … 2018 Nike EYBL Most Valuable Player … Won gold at the U18 Americas Championship … Son of NBA standout point guard from the late 80’s/early 90’s Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV teams, Greg Anthony …

Evan Tomes 9/10/18