NBA Draft Scouting Report: Arkansas' Nick Smith Jr.

Scouting Report: Nick Smith Jr.

Contents

1. Prospect Profile
2. Highlights 
3. Draft Projection 
4. 2023 Big Board 

Nick Smith Jr.

Guard | Arkansas

Height: 6'5” | Weight: 185 lbs

2023 Draft Age: 19.17

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Prospect Profile

One of the most anticipated college freshman in the country this season was Smith. While he didn't produce at the level many had hoped, mostly due to injuries, the upside is undeniable. 

At 6-foot-5, he has solid size for a combo guard, but it’s the nearly 6-foot-9 wingspan that makes him special from a physical standpoint. A spectacular scorer, Smith boasts a quick first step and is overall shifty with the ball. His dribble moves are crisp and intentional, and he’s efficient with every movement he makes with the ball in his hands.

What makes Smith so lethal on the offensive end is his jump shot. He’s got pure form and mechanics that make his shots look effortless. He’s also got great range for his age and has no problem knocking down deep triples.

In the midrange, Smith is crafty and effective with pull-up jumpers as well as a variety of floaters. With that in mind, he’s not the greatest finisher at the rim and often tends to avoid taking it to the cup. Instead, he settles for jumpers which by nature are lower percentage looks. If Smith is going to put together a complete offensive game, that’s one aspect he can improve upon. That should naturally come with him getting stronger and becoming better at absorbing contact.

Strength also comes into play on defense, where Smith certainly has upside but hasn’t emerged as an elite defender. Like many young prospects, his ability to put on weight and get stronger will determine his overall ceiling on both ends.

The combo guard is more of a scorer than distributor at this point, but definitely has shown the ability to set teammates up. He only produced 29 assists this season, while also turning the ball over 27 times. When Smith’s shot isn’t falling at the college level, he will need to find ways to still impact the game.

Although he was just a freshman this season, Smith is a natural leader and is typically the alpha when he steps on the court. Combine that with the tremendous amount of skill that he has and it’s no surprise that he could will likely be a lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft despite the underwhelming season. 

He played in just 17 games this season as his knee continuously gave him issues. His health will certainly be something NBA teams consider in the pre-draft process during his workouts and interviews. Smith could end up being a guy that falls more than he should and ends up being a steal at where he's taken.

Smith played his senior year of high school at at North Little Rock High School, where led the team to a 27-3 record and an Arkansas Class 6A championship. During that senior campaign, he absolutely filled up the stat sheet and often flirted with a triple-double. He played alongside another incredible talent in this recent freshman class in Kel'el Ware, who had a solid season at Oregon but will be transferring before taking a shot at the 2024 NBA Draft. To cap off his high school campaign Smith won MVP of the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic, where he showcased his offensive skillset against the top talent in the country. 

Highlights 

Draft Projection 

Lottery pick in 2023 NBA Draft.

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2023 Big Board 

Want to know more about other potential 2023 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Pro Big Board.

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