A two-time All-Defense member in the ACC, Leaky Black was a defensive star in his five years at North Carolina. As a fifth year senior, Black averaged 7.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, and 0.9 TOPG on splits of 41/33/70. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Leaky Black
Height/Weight: 6’9/205
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’11.5; N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: SF
Pre-Draft team: North Carolina
Tools: Defense, athleticism
Pros:
- Strong defender
- Mostly mistake-free playmaker
- Explosive athlete
- Quick first step
- Good rebounder
Cons:
- Inconsistent shooter
- Simple handle
- Can force bad shots at the rim off his own drives
- Old for class; turned 24 mid-June
Swing Skills:
- Developing a reliable jumper
Summary:
Leaky Black is an athletic, defensive-minded wing that offers versatility on the defensive end.
Offensively, Black struggles to score and get to the rim, while not being much of a shooter. Being able to watch his pro day in Chicago live, Black doesn’t have ‘busted’ shooting form, so being able to add a corner jump shot may be a realistic route for growth if he can work hard enough at it. However, having just turned 24 days before the draft, his leash and patience from teams will be short.
Defensively, Black is versatile, he has great size to defend multiple positions, along with good footwork and overall quick feet when moving laterally. With his athleticism, size, footwork, and intelligence, he projects to be a positive on the defensive end.
The big question with Leaky Black is how much positive defense does he need to produce to outweigh a very limited offense. Could he become something like Frank Ntilikina was for the Mavs this year, but bigger? Ntilikina was a defensive specialist that did make his teammates better defensively, but also took away from offense, with teams often sagging off. In today’s NBA of quick decisions always being made and needing to be a respectable shooter, Black may struggle to latch on. Look for Leaky Black to experiment in the G League, and if he cannot progress enough offensively, he is likely bound to play overseas for a long time.
Similar to: Ronnie Brewer, Braxton Key
Projected draft range: Undrafted
Expected role: Athletic defensive specialist
Unplayable if: Lack of scoring and overall offense doesn’t improve, making it easy for teams to play 4-on-5.
Exceeds expectations if: He develops a hot spot for shooting; whether it is the corner, wing, or top of the key.
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