UNC's Cole Anthony Declares for 2020 NBA Draft; Projected Lottery Pick

North Carolina star Cole Anthony declared for the 2020 NBA draft after wrapping up his freshman year with the Tar Heels.

Anthony announced his decision on Twitter:

Whereas most of the top prospects stated their draft intentions long ago, Anthony took his time. He announced March 24 he was delaying his decision due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:

In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Anthony as the No. 6 overall pick to the New York Knicks.

North Carolina entered the 2019-20 season reasonably high expectations. The Tar Heels were eighth in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 and 11th in the Coaches Poll.

Anthony shouldn't shoulder too much blame for the team's 14-19 record, but the nearly two months he missed because of a partially torn meniscus coincided with UNC's downturn.

The dynamic guard averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 38.0 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Having a famous athlete for a parent doesn't guarantee a successful career in a given sport. Being Greg Anthony's son obviously provided some advantages for Cole, though. The elder Anthony was a star at UNLV and had an 11-year career in the NBA.

The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears provided a look into their relationship in April 2019 and how it impacted Cole's development:

"Greg Anthony says his son has also embraced his repeated talk about being a leader on the floor, finding joy in not only his own success but also the success of his teammates.

"'He doesn't mind constructive criticism, and he understands where he can get better,' Greg Anthony said. 'Part of it is his goal of wanting to be a great player.'"

Cole can't match his dad's collegiate accolades. Greg Anthony was a national champion with the Rebels in 1990 and helped them reach the title game in 1991.

Like his father, though, Anthony has the potential to enjoy a lengthy career in the pros.

This year's draft class is generally considered to be fairly weak, lacking a standout player or players who could single-handedly change the direction of a franchise.

Last July, Wasserman examined the biggest flaws for some of the top draft-eligible stars and zeroed in on Anthony's floor game:

"Lottery teams looking for a new lead guard will be closely scouting Cole Anthony, a dynamic scoring ball-handler who needs work on his shot selection, decision-making and overall floor game. 

"Though skilled, athletic and capable of carrying an offense with one-on-one shot creation and shot-making, he can get carried away with over-dribbling and hero ball."

That assessment proved adept. Anthony scored a lot of points at North Carolina but didn't shoot very efficiently. He turned the ball over 3.5 times per night, too, which doesn't bode well for his first year or two at the next level. Incoming guards often struggle early on adjusting to the speed of the NBA.

Although he might have benefited from spending at least another season at North Carolina, Anthony's choice is understandable. The 19-year-old is likely to be a lottery pick this summer, so he could only climb so much higher on 2021 draft boards.