The anchor of the number two ranked recruiting class brings some hardware with him on campus.
USA TODAY named Razorback blue-chip freshman Nick Smith Player of The Year for his 2021-22 High school campaign at North Little Rock.
Clear the runway 🛫 @ntsmith1402 pic.twitter.com/S749GiJ09S
— Eric Musselman (@EricPMusselman) July 11, 2022
“Smith masterfully used his 6-foot-5 frame to create scoring angles and size mismatches during North Little Rock’s run to the Class 6A state championship,” USA Today said about Smith. “He was at his best in the state final, dropping 25 points. The centerpiece of Arkansas’s No. 1 rated recruiting class in the nation, Smith’s NBA Draft prospects are on the rise.”
Smith is a two-time Arkansas Player of The Year named to the McDonald’s All-American team and co-MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic.
Corliss Williamson is the only other Razorback to be named high school player of the year by Gatorade in 1992.
Smith is likely only to spend one season at Fayetteville. His draft stock is already through the roof, with many draft boards having him as a top-three pick in the next NBA Draft.