#12 Nick Smith
Height: 6’5
Weight: 185
School: Arkansas
Position: PG/SG
Class: Freshman
WHO
Arkansas-raised combo guard Nick Smith Jr. was expected to be the state’s hometown hero as he burst out of high school as an elite recruit catching the eyes of NBA scouts before he even stepped foot on a college basketball court. Watching even a few seconds from Smith’s Nike EYBL tape shows how excited many were for his entrance to the game’s higher levels.
Smith was named the All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year after averaging 26.5 points per game, 8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game his senior season. He was nominated for the Naismith Boys’ High School Player of the Year, and although Dariq Whitehead ended up walking away with it, he was a very close candidate for it. Sites universally ranked him in the top three of the 2022 class, with 247Sports even calling him #1. He rejected offers from Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Baylor, Texas, and more to join his hometown team Arkansas.
But things spiraled downhill. The electric, energetic guard that everyone was raving about suffered knee injury upon knee injury. He risked his draft stock by coming back mid-season with rust in his game and even more rust in his knee but helped his team get to March Madness and was a core part of the Hogs’ Sweet Sixteen run. Smith Jr. averaged 12.5 points per game. 1.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.8 steals in 17 total appearances. His shooting was mediocre at best; he shot 37.6% from the field and 74% from the line. He made countless defensive mistakes. At times, communication seemed off and it was almost like Smith Jr. was a piece that didn’t exactly fit into the puzzle.
Sure, we saw the magical Smith Jr. that scouts dreamed of in Little Rock; he exploded for 25 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals against Kentucky, he went off for 26 against Georgia, and his duel with Brandon Miller where he popped off with 24 points left Arkansas and Alabama fans alike speechless. But we didn’t see a lot of him in the season, and when we did, he was a shadow of himself.
Smith Jr. is a guard that can switch between playing point guard and distributing the ball while playing shooting guard, keeping an eye for the net, and hitting three after three. He’s a threat on all levels of the ball; he can shoot, slash, pass, and finish from nearly anywhere on the court. Although his three-point shooting is still an element to work on, it shouldn’t be a huge hindrance in his progression.
And on defense, he’s shown a lot of upside. He isn’t the strongest, which puts a limit on how well he can guard bigger, more physical defenders, but he gets into all the right stances and uses his hands and feet in all the right ways.
This is what we would be saying before Smith Jr. stepped onto the court in a Razorbacks jersey. Although all of these qualities are still there, Smith Jr. looked off throughout his freshman season. Most of it stems from having to play through multiple knee injuries, which affected his high-energy game and his jumper, but scouts have raised concerns about whether he can survive the physical nature of the NBA and if his knee problems will continue in the league. Smith Jr., like Jaden Hardy in 2022 and Nassir Little in 2019, needs consistency and steady growth in the NBA to get back to the peaks of his high school career and to prove his biggest skeptics wrong.
WHY
WHY
Like many of the prospects in the 8-15 range, there’s a lot of doubt surrounding which players will fly high and which prospects will sink in an uncharacteristically tight group of lottery prospects. Smith Jr. is one of them. Sure, his freshman season at Arkansas was overwhelming, and he seemed a shadow of himself after he suffered knee injury after knee injury, but Smith Jr. still showed potential to be an impactful guard who can score, create, and defend.
Earning comparisons to Kentucky alum Jamal Murray and Michigan’s Jamal Crawford, Smith Jr. has attracted interest from the Bulls (although they didn’t get a pick in the draft lottery), Heat, Wizards, and Raptors. He will likely end up near the late lottery due to his decline this season, but there is enough reason that a franchise would remember the Smith Jr. that shone on AAU and high school circuits and pick him in the top 10.
PRO SCOUT QUOTES
A combo guard, Smith is going to have the ability to swap comfortably in and out of on and off-ball duties in the NBA, functioning as both a lead-handler and spot-up two-guard, at times. His touch with the ball in-hands, especially in the mid-range while getting into his runners and floaters, is nearly unmatched among the class. Even while limited due to his injury, Smith was able to thrive at times with smooth, constantly creative play that can leave even the best defenders unable to make a play.
Derek Parker, SI.com
Nick is a coordinated, quick player with a strong enough handle that allows him to navigate around the court fluidly. In college, he didn’t show that change of speed we saw in the high school tape. When his floater game is one he is quite difficult to guard since it takes place in a shooting zone where defenses often have a natural hole.
Adam Bushman, SLCDunk
The flashes we did see from Smith which were positive were pretty encouraging, though. On a full re-watch of his games and action, I noticed just how much he cares and competes on both ends. He’s fearless, highly energetic, and wants the ball in the big moments. His touch and shot-making are incredibly enticing, and the fact he can play off-ball will help him blend into the NBA far better than other guard scorers.
Adam Spinella, The Box and One
Great length and athleticism for a combo guard at the next level. Quick off the dribble with an ability to penetrate and finish in the lane. Can create his shot off the dribble as a mid-range threat. Ability to play both on the ball and off the ball. Very good at cutting without the ball and is an above-average distributor with the ball in his hands.
Vincent Frank, Sportsnaut.com
Smith has something to prove in the evaluation period, but his offensive skill set and shotmaking ability give him plenty of intrigue. There's a high degree of range with where Smith could get selected, hence why he rounds out the lottery.
John Fanta, FOX Sports
