Nick Smith Jr. led Arkansas, but is his shooting consistent enough to be a legitimate threat in the NBA? His midrange and floater are.
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Basic
- Position: Combo guard
- From: Jacksonville, AR
- Current team: Arkansas
- Height: 6-foot-5
- Weight: 185 pounds
- Wingspan: 6-foot-9
Stats
- 25.8 minutes per game in 2022-23, featuring in 17 matches (14 starts.)
- Averaged 12.5 points on 37.6% shooting, with 1.6 boards, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals per game.
- Took 4.2 3-pointers per game, averaging 33.8% of makes.
- Shot 39.7% on all 2-point attempts.
- Got to the charity stripe 2.9 times per game, making 2.2 attempts (74%.)
Strengths
- 6-foot-5 which is a good size for a combo guard, has a 6-foot-9 wingspan which is a nice length and he has versatility which is always desired in the NBA.
- On or off-ball proposition, and can hit shots off the dribble and needs just a small amount of space to get his shot off. His release is extremely quick.
- His midrange game is the most dangerous aspect of his offensive bag, he also has an effective floater.
- Can handle the ball well, creates offense for himself and his teammates, and can get where he wants with the dribble and uses either hand well, which can be unpredictable to defenders.
- Changes speed and keeps control of his body when speeding or slowing up, he does that well.
- He’s alert, sees the floor well and can pass the ball with effect. Throws up at least one lob per game.
- A lot of effort on the defensive end, he defends well on and off the ball and constantly hounds the ball-handler with active hands. He fights over screens, too.
- His playmaking has shown flashes, mostly in pick-and-roll situations, and he’s probably never going to be a number-one playmaker option for NBA teams, but he’s OK at it.
- MVP of the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic with 27 points, making 7-of-15 field goals and 5-of-7 from the 3-point range.
Weaknesses
- Strength is an issue for Smith Jr., while an athlete, the Arkansas freshman can become a little stronger and if he doesn’t then he may struggle to finish at the rim and could be bullied a little on the defensive end with screens at the higher level.
- His behind the arc consistency can be improved, he took 4.2 3-pointers in his final season at Arkansas and only made 33% of his efforts, so he can improve on being more efficient from deep.
- Settles for difficult midrange and floaters too often, sometimes there is a lane to the rim that he rejects and settles for a contested shot. Perhaps needs to be more confident.
- As well as that, sometimes there is an opportunity to show off his playmaking skills, and sometimes Smith Jr. is just a bit too quick, and sometimes he could just calm down and read the floor instead of trying to rush plays. That’s what will make him improve as a point guard and allow him to play the combo guard more frequently.
- Despite not needing to rebound specifically as a guard, his 1.6 boards per game are significantly lower than other guards in his class and he does have the tools with a 6-foot-5 height and 6-foot-9 wingspan to be able to collect rebounds more often.
Clips
The following are some clips of Nick Smith Jr.’s game!
Draft projection
Nick Smith Jr. has all the tools to be able to score consistently, but the issue is his shooting is too inconsistent at the moment. He puts a lot of effort on the defensive end, but can grab more rebounds than 1.6 per game. He has a midrange and floater package that is extremely scary, but he could develop more as a playmaker if he wants to be a true two-guard guy. Smith Jr. is projected to be selected from 10-to-20, and I have him at 16.
