Leaky Black, North Carolina
During the 2021-22 season, Leaky Black made modest improvements as a spot-up shooter (17-of-51 3PA, 33.3 3P%), although it’s hard for those developments to not feel seismic.
For those who have followed Black since his arrival to Chapel Hill in 2018, this has long been the missing piece. Can Leaky made open catch-and-shoot 3s? If he makes enough open looks, it allows Black to remain on the floor without cramping half-court spacing, thus allowing UNC to tap into all of the other awesome things he provides.
Black is an excellent and versatile 1-on-1 defender. At 6-foot-8, 200-pounds, Black has the frame to defend a variety of position types, including bulkier frontcourt connectors (Paolo Banchero and Jake LaRavia), movement shooters (AJ Griffin, Ochai Abjai and Hunter Cattoor) and on-ball perimeter creators.
He was excellent in the NCAA Tournament vs. NBA-type talents like Marquette’s Justin Lewis and Johnny Juzang of UCLA.
Over on offense, Black displays good vision as a passer, especially in the open floor, and good ball handling.
He’s a low-usage wing playmaker, one that helps connect actions by adding to the advantage with mid-possession playmaking or by simply making the extra pass.