Tag: Nick Smith Jr.

Where does Arkansas rank in the initial KenPom rankings?

Arkansas is expected to have a solid season according to the initial KenPom rankings.

Arkansas Basketball lost eight players from last season’s Elite 8 team. However, the Razorbacks should have nothing to worry about, as they bring in the nation’s No. 2 signing class from the 2022 recruiting cycle.

That is one reason why [autotag]Eric Musselman[/autotag]’s bunch will begin the season with high hopes. The KenPom rankings see a successful season for Arkansas as well, as the rankings based on analytics have placed Arkansas at the No. 15 spot in the initial rankings for the 2022-23 season.

Arkansas begins the season in the top 25 of both offensive and defensive efficiency. According to KenPom, Arkansas is projected to score 109.4 points per 100 possessions, which is No. 25 in the nation, while expecting to allow 86.6 points per 100 possessions, which ranks No. 7.

As far as possessions go, the Razorbacks are expected to have 74.1 possessions per game, which is No. 20 in all of college basketball.

Arkansas will be led by returners [autotag]Davonte Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag], and by key freshmen such as [autotag]Anthony Black[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Smith Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Jordan Walsh[/autotag].

Arkansas Basketball will play two exhibition games, one against Rogers State on Oct. 24 and another at Texas on Oct. 29, before opening the season at Bud Walton Arena against North Dakota State on Nov. 7.

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Musselman likes the Hogs possible freshmen three-guard set

The Hogs three blue-chip guards offer Musselman a new luxury.

The Razorbacks’ European tour has created a great buzz as the fall nears, Arkansas finishing the trip 4-0.

The Eurotrip gave head coach Eric Musselman a chance to really see what his roster had to offer while testing some potential lineups.

Like three ball-handlers on the court at the same time.

This isn’t a new or innovative style in college basketball. Three-guard sets have been around since the early 90s. Jay Wright and Villanova became very successful using three guards in the starting lineup, sometimes even four.

Nick Smith Jr, Anthony Black, and Davonte Davis give Musselman that luxury.

“I really like how Devo, A.B., and Nick played together,” Musselman said after the Hogs 75-54 win over Orange1 Basket Bassano.

“When we had them in, one of the first things I said was ‘Hey, you guys just share the point guard position…Whoever is closest to an outlet pass (take the point),’ and they did a phenomenal job of sharing it and running different things for each other. I’m really happy with how they executed together.”

Having three freshmen on the court who can manage to bring the ball up is very underrated in college basketball, where sometimes teams might try to set up a press, like West Virginia or VCU.

But all three offer other qualities. Smith Jr. led the three-man group in scoring, averaging 18 points. Black and Davis led the team in assists (4.0), Davis even leading the team in steals per game (2.3).

It isn’t a guarantee that we will often see this exact three-man lineup on the court, but Musselman has a good problem to figure out.

Three Freshmen are among the best in the SEC

Arkansas Basketball’s success this season will be based on the performance of these three freshmen.

Arkansas Basketball had a solid recruiting period for the 2022 cycle, signing three McDonald’s All-Americans as part of their six-signee class that ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Those three All-Americans have a great chance to make an impact not only with their team but in the SEC as a whole.

Jamie Shaw of On3 recently shared his rankings for the top newcomers in the SEC, where three members of Arkansas’ 2022 signing class, [autotag]Anthony Black[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Smith Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Jordan Walsh[/autotag], made the cut.

The first freshman mentioned was Black, who ranks No. 3 on the list. Shaw says that Black could be a steady force in Arkansas’ half-court.

Eric Musselman likes to put three and four players on the floor who can create in the half-court, so this Arkansas team may not have a traditional point guard; however, Black could end up being just that. He has an excellent passing feel and makes good decisions. Still coming into his own as a basketball player, look for Black to be a, and possibly the, steadying force for this Razorbacks team.

Behind Black in the rankings is the highest-rated signee for the cycle, Nick Smith. Smith could be the Razorbacks’ leading scorer this season.

Nick Smith is gathering all the early season accolades, and rightfully so. The 6-foot-5 guard has long arms, vertical pop, and a smooth handle that gets him to his spots. Consistency will be the big thing with Smith this season. Like with any freshman, there will be ups and downs along the way. There is immense talent, but will his decision-making allow him to string together multiple games in the SEC when teams are game-planning for him? He has a talented cast around him, so he will not have to do everything, but for this team to be as good as projected, Smith will need to carry a load. Look for him to be Arkansas’s leading scorer this season, and have some pretty spicy highlights along the way.

The final player on the list was forward Jordan Walsh, who was listed as “other freshmen to watch.” Walsh was the No. 2 prospect from the state of Missouri, and the No. 19 prospect for the 2022 class.

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Razorback move to 3-0, get first win in Italy, during European trip

Arkansas’ group of mostly new players is looking sharp getting to know one another in Europe.

Arkansas’ European basketball trip is built to gel the team more than anything. But Saturday’s 75-54 win over Orange 1 Basket Bassano showed plenty of positive signs to could carry over to the season.

Arkansas outscored Bassano by 16 in the third quarter to provide a 26-point lead heading into the final frame.

“The five guys out there to start the third quarter, quite frankly, as they left the locker room I told the staff, ‘Watch what happens to the score,’” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. “It was zero shock what that group went out and did.”

Arkansas’ only two returners – guard Devo Davis and forward Kamani Johnson – were joined by transfer forward Trevon Brazile and freshman guards Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr. They had a 16-0 run late in the quarter to provide the biggest boost.

“They did a phenomenal job — thinking that it’s only three games in — of sharing it and running different things for each other,” Musselman.

Smith had 20 points on 8 of 14 shooting to lead the team. Davis did his usual stat-stuffing job, scoring six with five assists, three boards and three steals.

“We still have a long way to go on some things, but much, much improved defensively,” Musselman said. “Our defensive intensity was really good.”

New-look Hogs show off athleticism in first European game

Arkansas had no trouble and grew in chemistry in Tuesday’s win.

Seventeen.

That’s how many dunks the Arkansas basketball team managed Tuesday in the first game of the Razorbacks’ European tour this summer in a 108-59 win over Valencia Seleccion in Spain.

“I was happy with a lot of things,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. “I’m happy with the fact that I thought we played really, really, really, really, really hard, so happy with that, for sure.”

Freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. made his unofficial debut with the team, scoring 17 points, nine of which came on 3-pointers. His availability for the game was questionable beforehand because of a finger injury he suffered last week.

Smith was joined in double figures by Kamani Johnson, one of just two players returning from Arkansas’ Elite Eight team last year. Johnson scored 12 and grabbed eight boards. Missouri transfer Trevon Brazile added 12, Wichita State transfer Ricky Council scored 11 and freshman forward Barry Dunning had 10.

“Not many people are going to talk about Barry Dunning,” Musselman said. “I thought Barry played really well.”

Arkansas will play again Thursday against Barcelona Todo-Estrella.

Injury may force Nick Smith Jr. to miss Arkansas’ games in Europe

Arkansas’ star freshman guard is considered day-to-day with a finger injury.

Nick Smith Jr. was the prize get from Arkansas basketball’s recruiting class of 2022.

But after injuring his finger, his Hogs debut may be pushed to the fall.

Smith was limited in Arkansas’ practice Wednesday and coach Eric Musselman said the freshman guard has a bone bruise. Smith’s status is considered day-to-day.

“He’ll go back to the doctor on Friday, get re-evaluated,” Musselman said. “He might play. He might not. We’ll just see with the dcotor.”

Musselman said he won’t take any chances on the team’s upcoming trip to Europe for a batch of exhibition games. If any player is limited, that player likely will skip games.

Smith was named USA TODAY national Player of the Year earlier in the week. He is one of six players in Arkansas’ class. Wing Jordan Walsh and guard Anthony Black are fellow five-star players.

“A lot of bruises are pain tolerance, swelling, but we’re not going to play him unless he feels 100% and the doctor feels 100%,” Musselman said. “It’s hard to keep Nick down. He’s been working.”

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Arkansas basketball moves up a spot, inside top 10, in ESPN’s too-early rankings

The Razoracks are going to be a force next year, but have a daunting schedule.

Big things are expected for the Arkansas basketball team this season. Locals know it. National folks do, too.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello updated his summertime Top 25 for the college basketball world last week and the Razorbacks moved up in the rankings.

Arkansas checked in at No. 9, one spot ahead of its previous No. 10 slotting. It’s enough to make Razorbacks the second highest ranked team in the SEC, behind perennial power Kentucky.

The Top 25 is filled with Arkansas’ opponents for the 2022-23 season, as well. Tennessee is 12th, Auburn is 13th and Alabama is 20th. Creighton and Texas Tech are ninth and 24th, respectively. Arkansas will get one of those teams in the Maui Invitational in November. The Razorbacks will also play No. 8 Baylor in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in the second semester.

Take a look at Borzello’s top 10 below.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: An early look at the top prospects next year

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor over the course of the 2022-23 season.

With the basketball world over a month removed from the NBA draft, many have started to look ahead to the next rookie class and which prospects may be available.

The class is headlined by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who is considered one of the top prospects in recent memory. He has performed well in the top basketball league in France and looks to already be locked in as the top pick in 2023.

Elsewhere, there are several other prospects that will be worth monitoring over the course of next season. The rankings will certainly change but it can be a productive exercise to see how prospects moved up and down draft boards ahead of next year.

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor as the 2022-23 season approaches in a couple of months.

Note: The order of the draft was determined by the reverse championship odds set by Tipico Sportsbook. The 2023 draft will only have 59 picks after the Bulls were stripped of their second-round pick by the NBA due to a tampering violation involving the signing of Lonzo Ball.

Musselman on Hogs youth: “Patience is something I don’t have, but I’m learning”

Arkansas basketball is loaded yet again, but it’s also the youngest team Eric Musselman has ever coached.

Two straight Elite Eight appearances have made Arkansas basketball a preferred destination.

Coach Eric Musselman has proven himself one of the best recruiters in the nation, too, allowing the Razorbacks to reload the last two years instead of rebuild. This season, with six freshmen on the roster, his Hogs are as young a team as the coach can remember ever having.

“Patience is something I don’t have, but I’m learning,” Musselman said.

He was half-serious, half-joking. Part of what makes Arkansas such a destination is his attitude. Players want to play for him. But he’s also been known to be short in press conferences after disappointing Arkansas performances, suggesting that, yes, perhaps patience in the locker room could be lacking at times.

If Musselman’s patience holds, this year’s Arkansas team could be his best yet. Three of the Arkansas’ six freshman are five-star players and are expected to go in the first round of next year’s NBA Draft. Guard Nick Smith Jr. could potentially go first overall.

Arkansas opened practice Thursday to the media ahead of a trip to Europe in early August. The Razorbacks will start their regular season in November, though an exact date is not yet known

The 2023 NBA Mock Draft features Arkansas in lottery, three likely picks

Nick Smith Jr. will almost certainly be a lottery selection while Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black are projected to be picked, too.

Arkansas coach Eric Musselman brought in the No. 2 recruiting class in the country and the No. 5 transfer portal class in the country. It has the Razorbacks reloaded and likely ranked inside the Top 10 come November.

In this day and age, it’s to be determined how long that crew will be together, but 2022-23 should be an extraordinary season featuring the most individual talent Arkansas has had in years.

For instance, freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. is projected to go No. 3 in next year’s NBA Draft.

“Smith is an electric shot-creating guard who goes hard on both ends of the court in ways that NBA executives love. He should be the best player for an Arkansas team that on paper looks like a legitimate national title contender,” his write-up reads.”

Fellow freshman Jordan Walsh is also likely to be projected in the late first round or early second round and five-star guard Anthony Black could be the same.

Former Arkansas forward Jaylin Williams was taken in the 2022 Draft on Thursday night by the Oklahoma City Thunder. His selection marked the fourth straight year the Razorbacks have had a pick taken.

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