How to Guard Cole Anthony
Cole does most of his damage from in the paint (floaters) (34.6% of his attempts) and is a limited outside shooter you can sag off. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Cole scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Cole
Go under screens, sag into the paint
He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (30.6% on 72 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
Where the ball goes when you help off Cole
His most frequent assist targets this season. When he collapses the defense, these are the outlets to rotate to first.
Quiet edges on Cole
- Clutch FG% is +7.6% vs season average — rises to the moment
- Tight contest collapses his efficiency — 25.0% contested vs 46.0% open. He needs space.
- Highly volatile scorer — std dev of 4.7 PPG (coefficient of variation 0.90). Some nights 35, some nights 12. Game plan should account for both versions.
Get Cole's full matchup plan
HoopBrief turns this shot profile into a complete plan: the exact coverage to run, positioning, what to take away first, and the mistake to avoid, in your own coaching lens. Ask it directly.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Cole Anthony?
Go under screens, sag into the paint: He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (30.6% on 72 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
What is Cole Anthony's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Cole is least efficient on his three-point attempts (30.6% on 72 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Cole Anthony a good three-point shooter?
Cole has taken 72 three-pointers this season and made 22 of them (30.6%). That share of his offense (31.2% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Cole Anthony average?
Cole is averaging 6.7 points per game this season, along with 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Cole Anthony's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.