Cole Anthony: From College Standout to NBA Journeyman
Cole Hinton Anthony, born on May 15, 2000, is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks. The son of former NBA player Greg Anthony, Cole was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school before showcasing his talents at the University of North Carolina. This article will delve into Anthony's journey, from his early life and high school career to his college performance and professional trajectory.
Early Life and High School Career
Born in Portland, Oregon, while his father was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, Anthony's family moved to Manhattan, New York, where he spent his formative years. Despite coming from a wealthy family, his parents instilled in him the importance of hard work.
Anthony began his high school basketball career at Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, New York, where he immediately started at point guard as a freshman. During his junior season, he formed a formidable duo with Moses Brown, averaging a league-high 23.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as team co-captain.
For his senior year, Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy, where he continued to excel. He was considered one of the top recruits in the 2019 class and earned accolades such as USA Today All-USA first team honors. He was also named the most valuable player (MVP) of the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, and Nike Hoop Summit. In addition to his high school success, Anthony led the United States to a gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in St. Catharines, Ontario, where he was named to the all-tournament team.
College Career at North Carolina
On April 23, 2019, Anthony committed to play college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He made an immediate impact, scoring 34 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in his debut game against Notre Dame. Through his first nine games, he reached double figures in seven of them, collecting 10 or more rebounds twice. On December 17, it was announced that Anthony was expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery for a partially torn meniscus in his right knee.
Read also: High School to MLB: Gerrit Cole
He returned to the court on February 1, 2020, in a 71-70 loss to Boston College, where he led all scorers with 26 points, recording 14 free throws, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. On February 8, Anthony had 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 98-96 overtime loss to seventh-ranked Duke. A week later, in a game against Virginia, he fell to the floor and began gushing blood from his head after being struck by an opposing player's elbow.
Despite missing 11 games due to injury, Anthony was named to the ACC All-Freshman team and earned third-team All-ACC honors. He finished the season averaging 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
NBA Career
Orlando Magic (2020-2025)
Anthony declared for the 2020 NBA draft and was drafted by the Orlando Magic. On January 20, 2021, Anthony put up 13 points, alongside a game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer in a 97-96 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On May 1, 2021, he posted a then career-high 26 points along with a game-winning three-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies. On May 16, 2021, Anthony became the first Magic rookie to score 30-plus points since Victor Oladipo tallied 30 on February 21, 2014, against the New York Knicks and it was the fifth-highest-scoring performance by a rookie in team history.
In his second season, Anthony improved his averages to 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. However, his role began to diminish in subsequent seasons with the emergence of other young guards on the Magic roster.
On April 15, 2025, Anthony scored a team-high 26 points, alongside three rebounds and six assists, in a 120-95 play-in tournament win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Read also: Endicott College Dedication
Memphis Grizzlies and Buyout (2025)
On June 15, 2025, Anthony was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. However, he never played a game for the Grizzlies, as he agreed to a contract buyout with the team on July 13, 2025.
Milwaukee Bucks (2025-2026)
Just days after his buyout, Anthony signed a two-year, $5.69 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on July 16, 2025.
On February 5, 2026, the Bucks traded Anthony to the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team trade. However, he was waived by the Suns shortly after the trade.
2023-24 Season Review
Anthony set a new career high with 81 regular-season games played in 2023-24, surpassing his previous high of 65 appearances during his sophomore season in 2021-22. Amidst the increased games played, Anthony saw reductions in his minutes, points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made per game compared to the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, he remained a critical piece for the Magic's young core as they put together an impressive season, finishing fifth place in the East. Anthony averaged the team's sixth-most minutes per game and led the team in games played during the 2023-24 campaign. His regular season was highlighted by several impressive performances, including a season-high 30 points on 9-for-16 shooting in a home win over the Hornets in November. Anthony had 21 outings with more than 15 points. He also had two double-doubles with points and rebounds and logged more than five assists on 12 occasions. Regular season and playoffs combined, Anthony recorded 21 games with zero turnovers, averaging 9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.9 minutes over those games.
Career Statistics and Analysis
Throughout his NBA career, Anthony has demonstrated his scoring ability and playmaking skills. He is a capable shooter from beyond the arc and a reliable free-throw shooter, boasting a career free throw percentage of .851.
Read also: ChatGPT for Communication Courses
In 253 career NBA regular season games (103 starts), all with Orlando, he averaged 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 26.5 minutes per game. He also played in seven career NBA playoff games, averaging 5.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.
During the 2023-24 season, Anthony appeared in 81 games with Orlando, averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 22.4 minutes per game. He ranked fourth in the NBA in total points off the bench and led (or tied) the team in scoring eight times, in rebounding three times, and in assists 14 times.
International Career
Anthony represented the United States at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in St. Catharines, Ontario. He helped the team win a gold medal and was named to the all-tournament team.
Personal Life
Anthony is the son of Greg Anthony and Crystal McCrary and the stepson of Raymond McGuire. Greg Anthony was a member of the 1989-90 UNLV national championship team and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 11 seasons, before joining NBA TV and Turner Sports as an analyst and broadcaster. Crystal McCrary worked as a lawyer before becoming an author and filmmaker.
tags: #cole #anthony #college #stats
