Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Cole Anthony

Looking at Atlanta Hawks draft prospect Cole Anthony out of UNC.

One of the questions surrounding the Atlanta Hawks on NBA Draft night will be whether or not they’ll take a point guard. Obviously, they’re set with Trae Young, who should quarterback the Hawks into the future, but they have yet to find a long term backup for him.

The top of the NBA Draft is full of young point guards who could fill that role both now and in the future. LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, Killian Hayes, and Cole Anthony are all likely to be top-ten picks this June, giving the Hawks will have the chance to take one.

Each prospect brings a unique skill set to the table, and the Hawks will have to decide which one would best back up Trae. If they go with the player that most closely resembles Young’s game, Cole Anthony is likely the pick.

The 6’3 point guard had an interesting season at UNC after being a top recruit out of high school, #2 on the ESPN 100. He looked to be in the discussion for the first overall pick before the college season began, a season in which Anthony hurt his draft stock immensely.

He was inconsistent, inefficient and borderline frustrating to watch at North Carolina, especially for Tarheel fans. The team went 14-19, their worst record in the Roy Williams era.

Anthony also missed 11 games with a knee injury in the middle of the season. While some applauded the freshman’s desire to return to Chapel Hill instead of preparing for the draft, he never had a breakout game post-return.

Despite all of this, he’s still projected as a top-ten pick thanks to his high-upside athleticism.  Anthony is a freak athlete, someone who could move up big boards at the Draft Combine (if that happens). He glides with the ball in his hands, effortlessly getting to the rim, although his finishing could use polish.

His hop and speed pave the way to many transition dunks, on which he can throw down with either hand. He can create his own shot on the perimeter as well, but that sometimes got him into trouble in college.

Outside scoring is something Anthony will need to work on, and while his 35 percent clip from deep isn’t awful, he attempted over six threes per game, almost none of which were catch-and-shoot opportunities.

That’s where the comparisons to Trae Young come in: two undersized point guards who can create their own shot with ease and like to let it rip from deep. Unfortunately, the comparison also crosses over to the defensive side of things.

Anthony is not terrible on defense thanks to his athleticism, but his subpar height, wingspan (6’5) and strength often show up in the wrong ways. Anthony and Young would make a lethal offensive backcourt, but would easily be among the worst defensive backcourts in the league.

Their ability to play together on the Atlanta Hawks should be questioned, but Anthony could be a high-value backup for years to come. His inside scoring has unlimited potential and if he’s able to further develop his outside shot, Anthony could be a top-tier playmaker in the league.