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Detroit Pistons 2020 NBA Draft profile: North Carolina’s Cole Anthony

By Ari Eizen

CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 25: Cole Anthony #2 of the University of North Carolina dribbles the ball during a game between NC State and North Carolina at Dean E. Smith Center on February 25, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 25: Cole Anthony #2 of the University of North Carolina dribbles the ball during a game between NC State and North Carolina at Dean E. Smith Center on February 25, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images) /
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Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Cole Anthony’s weaknesses

While there is a lot of Anthony’s game that makes him a top prospect, there are also a lot of issues that come along with his skills. To start off, his size is not eye-popping. At six-foot-three, Anthony has a six-foot-five wingspan which is not too impressive and shows that he lacks the length that many of the point guards in the NBA have.

On offense, Cole sometimes does not have the best decision making when it comes to what shots to take and when to pass the ball.

Throughout his freshman year, Anthony has shot 39.2% from the field on 16.4 shots per game. This seems to hint that Anthony will force many shots that he should not be taking. To build on this, his three-point shot has not been productive at all, shooting at a 36.2% rate this year.

Related Story. 2020 NBA Draft profile: LaMelo Ball. light

As mentioned in the strengths, Anthony has great defensive anticipation. However, there is a downside to Anthony using this anticipation which is that he can sometimes gamble on a pass which then allows for the opposing team to have an immediate advantage over the defense.

If he does not find a way to fix this issue, it can turn him into a defensive liability.

Another wrinkle within Anthony’s draft profile is his recent injury history. Earlier this season, ha had a partially torn meniscus in his right knee and was forced to miss around 8 weeks on the season.

While this is only one injury, knee injuries can be an injury that will always stick around for athletes. How he finishes out the season will tell scouts and NBA front offices a lot about how he can preform at the next level, despite the past injury.