Age

19.17

Height

6'5"

Weight

185

Workload

MIN%

27.9

USG%

30.5

TS%

48.8

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

21.2

REB

2.7

AST

3.0

STL

1.4

BLK

0.2

TOV

2.6

Efficiency

RIM FG%

53.6

MID FG%

37.9

3PT FG%

34.4

FT%

67

Jump to full report

Report by: Larro

Nick Smith Jr.

Guard Arkansas

Three-level scoring combo guard with playmaking ability.

Age

19.17

Height

6'5"

Weight

185

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

21.2

REB

2.7

AST

3.0

STL

1.4

BLK

0.2

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Who Is Nick Smith Jr.?

Nick Smith Jr. is a native of Jacksonville, Arkansas. He shot up the national rankings his senior year at North Little Rock high school to No.1 on certain national ranking sites. Smith Jr. is already considered one of the best guard prospects in the country before playing a regular season game, highlighted by him being a finalist for the Jerry West Award- which goes to the best shooting guards in the country. Nick Smith Jr. combines a nice blend of three-level scoring and playmaking from either the primary or secondary ballhandler role. He also flashes some ability to guard well on the perimeter or even off the ball. Nick Smith Jr. is a star in the making and has enough tools in his bag to support someone taking him in the top 10 of the upcoming NBA draft.

Offensive Intrigue

Part of the Intrigue of Nick Smith Jr.’s offensive game is his shooting ability. In 15 games during the 2021 Nike EYBL, Smith Jr. shot 37% from three on 4.8 attempts per game, according to Cerebro. There is no doubt he will be able to continue his success from three as he continues to rise from high school, College to the NBA. The form is effortless and compact. He can get his shot off catch or off the bounce.

Nick Smith Jr. shooting from three

Not only can Smith Jr. get to his spots from outside the arc, but he can also use his handle and shiftiness to shoot from inside the arc. He has a knack for shooting off different platforms as well, he doesn’t necessarily need a a ton of room to get to his shot off in the mid range area. This skill is really valuable for his archetype and role for the next level.

Nick Smith Jr. midrange jumpers

Also, Nick Smith Jr. has great touch around the basket in the half court. He likes to get to his floater a ton. Now, I do think he can rely on the floater a bit too much, but when you are productive as he is with it how can you knock it? I would like to see this year at Arkansas him getting to the rim and finishing through the trees a bit more. Especially with his capability to play off ball, if he is drafted by a team with an already established primary his game can easily translate to playing more off ball and attacking closeouts can be a true boon for him.

Nick Smith Jr. floaters

Transition is another area of the game that Nick Smith Jr. makes plays. You can tell that the transition game is a canvas for him and his handle, shifitness, aerobactic finishes, and lob passes are the brush strokes. There are a certain bunch of players that when you watch them you feel the confidence they exude from their play on the screen or in person, NIck Smith Jr. is in that group. He excels pushing the pace and finding easy baskets or just shooting in rhythm threes. The below is a mix of highschool and some of his stellar play from his exbition games in Italy before his knee injury.

Nick Smith Jr. fasbreak

The 6’5″ combo guard is known for his shooting ability and there is no qualms with that takeaway, but he also shows momentsof playmaking ability. The ability to playmaker from both the primary ballhandler and secondary ballhandler roles. He understands that teams are worried about his shot and reads the game well. If there is a hard closeout he will attack a defense in get them in rotation. Short closeouts and he is shooting that ball with no conscious. He’s a scalable player that will make a coaches decisions on lineup versatility a lot easier.

Nick Smith Jr. making plays for teammates

Defensive upside

Alright enough of the offensive side of things. I will admit it’s hard to look past how easy Nick Smith Jr. makes offense look at times. But we must talk about his defense. When you watch him play you are not equating what you are seeing to the Marcus Smart’s of the world. You are seeing a player who when engaged can be anywhere from neutral to hopefully a consistent positive on the defensive side of the floor. When engaged Smith Jr. does a great job of doing the work early-getting to your landmarks on the floor early, so its it easier to react to the next play. There have already been instances with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he gets to the low man position early and is able to make a play on the ball for easy fastbreak baskets. Not only being in position for help on low man responsibilities, but also stunting at drivers and at points getting two hands on the ball for steals. Smith Jr.’s On ball defense has looked good, but once again the key word is: engaged.

Nick Smith defense on and off ball

In conclusion

The Arkansas Razorbacks have assembled a team that has defensive versatility, but it lacks in shot creation. This is a perfect opportunity for Nick Smith Jr. to be put in a position to show off his strength which is scoring the ball and using that scoring gravity to set up his teammates for easy looks. I look forward to Nick Smith Jr. taking advantage of this chance to show why he should be talked about as a top-5 pick.

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