Nick Smith Jr. – Falling
Coming out of high school, Nick Smith Jr. was one of the top basketball prospects. To start the season, many mocks had Smith as a potential top 5 draft pick. However, he has failed to cement himself as a top prospect in this year’s NBA Draft class. So much so that you can make the easy argument that he may be better suited to return to play another year of college. That said, he’s already declared for the 2023 NBA Draft.
Smith had an up-and-down freshman season at Arkansas. An injury likely impacted his ability to settle in as a prospect but he didn’t have many moments that you generally see from some of the more highly-touted prospects.
In fact, during Arkansas’ three-game Tournament run, Smith finished with a combined 17 points, three rebounds, and one assists on 6-23 shooting from the field. He was also benched during the team’s second-round win over Kentucky.
I really don’t know where Smith will be taken in the first round but I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be a top 5 pick. And perhaps not even taken in the top 10. Additionally, you can argue that he has work to do to cement himself as a lottery pick.