Before leading his North Little Rock squad against a national schedule this season, Arkansas 5-star basketball commitment Nick Smith got a chance to see the unofficial unveiling of his future college team.
Smith (6-5, 185), the nation’s No. 6 prospect, per ESPN, was one of four Razorback 2022 pledges who took in Arkansas’ Red-White game at Barnhill Arena on Sunday.
He is good friends with many players on the current Razorbacks roster, including several who led the program to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight last season.
“I've been knowing a lot of these guys for a long time,” Smith said. “Prior to coming for my official visit, I knew like half of them. I feel like this team is going to be pretty good and going to have a chance to win a national championship.”
Smith joined fellow Arkansas commits in Branson (Mo.) Link Year Prep forward Jordan Walsh (6-7, 200), Magnolia guard Derrian Ford (6-5, 205) and Morrilton small forward Joseph Pinion (6-6, 180) in the stands Sunday.
That quartet, along with pledge Barry Dunning (6-6, 205) of Mobile (Ala.) McGill-Toolen, has the Razorbacks with the second-best 2022 recruiting class nationally behind Duke.
“It is a pretty cool experience right now, but at the end of the day we have to come here and produce,” Smith said. “Because if we don’t produce, we are not going to get anywhere once we do get on campus.
“We all need to finish our senior season and work as hard as we can to keep winning, get better and stuff like that.”
Smith, who averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as a junior, chose Arkansas over Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kentucky, Kansas and numerous other programs.
He was clear the main factor in his decision was Arkansas' third-year head coach.
“Eric Musselman,” Smith said. “He has been contacting me since Day 1 about pro-level stuff that he has been around and how the culture around here is changing with social media and players being out there now. It was pretty much an easy decision.”
North Little Rock coach Johnny Rice lauded Arkansas’ pursuit of Smith.
“Coach Muss is the real deal,” he said. “Arkansas went far and above any other school. He knows what he is doing on the recruiting end, for sure.”
Smith has been battling thumb and hand injuries, but should not miss any game action this season.
“Everything is feeling good right now,” Smith said. “I am still going through the therapy stages.”
Smith, who played his last three seasons at Sylvan Hills, and 5-star Oregon commit Kel'el Ware (7-0, 215) will lead North Little Rock this season.
“I feel like we can be pretty good, just because of the talent we have around North Little Rock,” Smith said. “We are just practicing every day and working at our craft to be a great team – a great national team as well.”
North Little Rock will play at Bentonville in a scrimmage on Nov. 13.
The Charging Wildcats will also play in the the Kevin Durant Dallas Hoopfest (Nov. 26-27), the Hurricane Classic in Jonesboro (Dec. 2), Stephen Jackson’s Battle of the Bluff in Memphis on Dec. 9-11, the City of Palms Tournament in Fort Myers, Fla., on Dec. 17-22, the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff (Dec. 29-31) and the Spaulding Hoop Hall Classic in Bentonville (Jan. 6-8).
“That’s about as tough of a nonconference schedule as we can get,” Rice said. “I don’t know if it could be any more competitive and get us any more ready for what is always a very competitive 6A-Central Conference race."