Coming out of high school, Nick Smith Jr. was the No. 3-ranked recruit, via RSCI. The shifty guard elevated to the top of his class with standout play at the AAU level for Brad Beal Elite and at North Little Rock High School.
However, after an injury-riddled season at Arkansas, Smith Jr. slipped down draft boards. He didn’t play particularly poorly; he scored over 20 points in five of his twelve regular season appearances. However, teams ended up opting for players with healthier, more consistent samples of play. The 6-foot-3 ball handler slipped to the Charlotte Hornets at pick No. 27.
He quickly made noise during Summer League, putting up some flashy scoring games. Coming into the season though, he didn’t initially crack Charlotte’s rotation. The guard room consisted of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Theo Maledon and Ish Smith ahead of Smith Jr. on the depth chart. But after Ball’s ankle injury and the waiving of Maledon, Smith Jr.’s found himself with a rotation spot.
He made big use of this oppurtunity on Saturday night against the Nuggets. He only scored two points through the first three quarters. Then, he turned it up. In the fourth quarter he played an instrumental role in the Hornets push of the Denver Nuggets. Smith Jr. scored 17 points while nailing 5 of his 6 3-point attempts as Charlotte battled the defending champions. They eventually lost by seven points, but Smith Jr.’s stellar performance left buzz city fans with something to savor.
I’m addition to his potent shot-making, Smith Jr. put in work on the defensive end. He mixed his positional length with a strong motor and quick movement skills to contribute to pivotal stops in crunch time.
After the game, Coach Steve Clifford expressed belief in his 19-year-old rookie. He praised Smith Jr.’s “confidence and understanding of the NBA game.” Clifford further described him as a “great worker” with a “phenomenal attitude” before expressing his faith in Smith Jr.‘s development.
Even when Ball returns to the Hornets lineup, Smith Jr. should still be in line for consistent minutes. Given both of their positional size and Smith’s budding defensive acumen, this could be Charlotte’s backcourt for years to come.
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