The Charlotte Hornets may have found a gem late in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, selecting former Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. with the No. 27 pick.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Nick Smith Jr.
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6'5"
Pro Comparison: Immanuel Quickley
Scouting Report: Smith was able to showcase dangerous shot-making, both in self-creation and spot-up situations. Inefficient scoring stretches and a lack of playmaking hurt his draft stock.
Nick Smith Jr., G: Rookie scale contract
Brandon Miller, F: Rookie scale contract
Terry Rozier, PG: $23.2M (2026)
Cody Martin, SF: $7.6M (2026)
Mark Williams, C: $3.9M (2026)
Nick Richards, C: $5M (2026)
Bryce McGowens, SG: $1.7M (2026)
James Bouknight, SG: $4.6M (2025)
Kai Jones, PF: $3M (2025)
JT Thor, PF: $1.8M (2025)
Gordon Hayward, SF: $31.5M (2024)
LaMelo Ball, PG: $10.9M (2024)
Kobi Simmons, PG: $2.1M (2024)
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF: UFA
P.J. Washington, PF: RFA
Dennis Smith Jr., PG: UFA
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, SG: UFA
Theo Maledon, PG: RFA
A consensus 5-star recruit in the class of 2022, Smith was the No. 1 overall prospect in 247Sports' composite ranking. The North Little Rock, Arkansas, native decided to stay home with the Razorbacks over offers from schools like Kansas, Auburn and Alabama.
Unfortunately, Smith's lone season at Arkansas didn't live up to his lofty expectations. He battled through a knee injury and was limited to 17 games with 14 starts, ranking third on the team with 12.5 points per game. He didn't contribute much in other areas, averaging 1.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals.
Still, fans of the Hornets should be excited about Smith's arrival because his untapped potential could make him the steal of the 2023 draft.
Smith likely won't be relied upon as a top scoring option, but his impressive offensive skills should allow him to contribute whenever he's on the floor for Charlotte.
