2023 NBA Draft: Nick Smith Jr. Has Immense Potential
Coming into the season, guard Nick Smith Jr. was heralded as one of the top collegiate prospects, and was selected within the top-five of most expert mocks.
But after a pre-season knee injury left him hobbled off-and-on for a majority of the season, Smith’s stock fell progressively.
Draft Digest writer Derek Parker recently took a deep-dive into his talents in the latest episode of his Heat Check series on YouTube:
Smith averaged 12.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists at Arkansas, shooting 38 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. When on the court, he was typically one of the team's go-to scorers, but struggled to see the ball through the hoop at an efficient rate.
While his numbers are a bit drab at first glance, they don’t tell the full story.
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 obviously 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.
Fully healthy, he’ll be able to showcase more of that at the next level. The question is: how much?
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.