Tag: Nick Smith Jr.

Arkansas basketball enters the 2022-23 basketball season behind one of the most impressive recruiting classes in program history. The class is ranked No. 2 in the nation and includes three McDonalds All-Americans in Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh.

The most interesting prospect of the three might be guard Anthony Black. He’s a big guard, 6-foot-7 with a smooth handle and pass-first mentality, which is rare to find in young players in today’s game. Black is currently projected to go in the mid-to-late lottery of next year’s NBA draft by most major insiders.

What is concerning is that sometimes he’s too passive and generous with the ball when he needs to be aggressive and looking for his shot. He has a decent jumper, but it remains to be seen if he can knock down shots from the perimeter at a consistent clip.

Rafael Barlowe, of NBA Draft Junkies, asked a couple of anonymous NBA scouts their thoughts on Anthony Black.

“I think he’s a lottery pick,” said one scout. “There are some concerns because he’s not an alpha and not always aggressive, but he’s an unbelievable kid, extremely unselfish and wants to win.”

“He does a lot of different things on the floor, he passes and defends on a high level, but the shooting has a long way to go,” said another scout. “I think it’s some mechanical stuff [with the jumper] that he needs to figure out, but he does so many things well and the measurables are all there. He’s an underrated athlete, which we’re starting to see now.”

“He’s a normal age for this class, but he’s just starting to come out of his shell as far as being aggressive,” offered a third scout. “He was a late bloomer, so it makes sense, he’s just starting to understand how good he is and how talented he is.”

Black will have plenty of talent around him in Fayetteville, and with the uncertainty surrounding Nick Smith Jr.’s injury situation he may have ample opportunity to run the offense on his own early in the season.

In the season opening win against North Dakota State, Black finished with only 3 points, but had 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in 30 minutes.

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Arkansas basketball enters the 2022-23 basketball season behind one of the most impressive recruiting classes in program history. The class is ranked No. 2 in the nation and includes three McDonalds All-Americans in Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh.

With a collection of talent like that, the intrigue and excitement for Arkansas basketball extends far beyond just the fanbase. NBA scouts and executives are also going to be keeping a close eye on this year’s team, as the trio of Smith Jr., Black and Walsh are all projected to be first round selections in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The most intriguing prospect of the trio might just be freshman wing Jordan Walsh. At 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Walsh has the combination of size, skill and athleticism that make him a perfect slashing wing in today’s game.

However, his skillset is still very raw and struggles to keep up with his freak athleticism. Going forward, he’s going to have to show some consistency with his playmaking and jumpshot to take that next leap in his development.

Rafael Barlowe, of NBA Draft Junkies, asked a couple of anonymous NBA scouts their thoughts on Walsh.

“He led Arkansas in scoring the other day [vs. Texas]. He’s an extreme competitor, [he] comes from a great family and talent-wise he’s a monster,” said one scout.

“The way he moves, I can’t even find a comparison,” said another scout. “You don’t see that often, at 6’7″ with a 7’3″ wingspan and ball skills. And he’s a freak competitor with a great motor. His ceiling is pretty high.”

In their exhibition loss to Texas a week ago, Walsh led the Hogs in scoring with 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3PT) while grabbing 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

On the flip side, his outing in the season opening win against North Dakota State was rough, as he only scored 2 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists before fouling out with 10 minutes left in the game. This is a prime example of the growing pains freshman players face when adjusting to the pace of the college game.

While he might not be getting the same attention as his backcourt counterparts Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr., Walsh could be the key to how far this Arkansas team can go.

If he can put all aspects of his game together quickly and become more consistent, then Arkansas basketball will be a threat to make another run in March and Walsh could be hearing his name called in June a lot earlier than expected.

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