re: Arkansas Basketball Recruiting Thread *Muss Years Archive - do NOT delete*

Early 2023 NBA Draft

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3. NICK SMITH, SG/PG, ARKANSAS

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Nick Smith finished as the No. 1 prospect in the Top247 of 2022 and was a personal favorite of mine. While Smith doesn’t have the sheer explosiveness that Henderson does, he does posses an extremely advanced skill-set and understanding of how to create space, along with good positional size.

While he’s still more combo-guard than big lead guard at this point, the incoming Arkansas freshman projects as someone capable of playing on an off the ball, in a Jamal Murray type of role. Smith has the ability to be both a playmaker with the ball in his hands as well as a weak-side threat because of his shooting gravity. He’s also advanced in terms of his footwork, natural basketball instincts and competitive defensively.

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9. ANTHONY BLACK, PG, ARKANSAS

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Another potential one-and-done freshman headed to Arkansas next year, Anthony Black may not be quite as far along as Nick Smith but he nonetheless has vast talent and versatility to grow into.

At 6-foot-7, Black has operated as a big guard for most of his career to date. While he’s unlikely to play that spot next year, he undoubtedly has the ability to play-make for both himself and others as he can see the floor, instinctively navigate a crowded lane, and show flashes of huge potential. Black needs to keep polishing his skill-set, particularly his shooting, so he can impact a half-court game, but has tools that should translate defensively as well.

The No. 17 prospect in the 247Sports Composite, Black chose Arkansas over Gonzaga.

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3. Nick Smith Jr., Guard, Arkansas

Smith Jr. looks like a potent three-level scorer, with a polished pull-up game and outside shot. As a freshman at Arkansas, he’ll need to prove he can create for others, defend consistently and continue to create against a higher level of competition.

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7. Anthony Black, Guard, Arkansas

At 6-foot-7, Black has tremendous size for someone with the skills to play as a primary point guard. In addition to his handling and creation skills, he’s an excellent athlete and smooth 3-point shooter.

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20. Jordan Walsh, Guard, Arkansas

A phenomenal athlete with a strong outside jumper, Walsh has 3-and-D potential in the short-term and could develop more as a self-creator to reach his ceiling.

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Nick Smith and Anthony Black, Arkansas

Smith and Black will form the backcourt of what could be a really good Razorbacks team, and they are joined by a third blue-chip prospect in high-flying forward Jordan Walsh. A projected lottery pick, Smith is one of the most talented guards in the class, with an advanced off-the-dribble game and high-energy style that teammates gravitate toward. Black is a bigger guard with first-round potential whose best skill is passing, with the size to throw the ball over defenses and some deceptiveness to his game. Arkansas should be appointment viewing from a scouting perspective.

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2023 NBA mock draft: Preseason board

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7 Nick Smith Arkansas Guard Freshman
10 Anthony Black Arkansas Guard Freshman
12 Jordan Walsh Arkansas Wing Freshman

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Nick Smith is the next bucket-getting combo guard
SB Nation evaluated the incoming freshmen in-person at the McDonald’s All-American Game and at the practices and game for the Jordan Brand Classic. Against the top players in the class, Nick Smith Jr. stood out for his quickness, three-level scoring ability, and feathery shooting touch.

The Arkansas native is a 6’3 guard with a reported 6’9 wingspan who projects as a three-level scoring threat with some playmaking ability. Smith is an incredibly slippery ball handler, able to break free from his primary defender with shifty ball handling moves and a combination of creativity and flexibility that lets him get off looks from unusual angles. He already has an excellent floater. In an era of the league where bigger wings are taking on more playmaking duties, Smith feels like a natural fit as a secondary creator and lead scoring option next to an oversized primary facilitator.

The success of Jordan Poole, Tyrese Maxey, and Tyler Herro should be a nice boost to Smith’s stock. We’re worried about how he translates defensively with a thin frame, and just how effectively he can finish over NBA length. Still, his mid-range scoring and pull-up shooting ability really is tremendous. Smith is the biggest star in a loaded Arkansas recruiting class that includes fellow first round picks Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black. Razorbacks games will be must see TV for NBA draft fans next season.

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Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh are Arkansas’ other top freshmen
Nick Smith Jr. is most highly-touted prospect in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class at Arkansas, but we wouldn’t be surprised if either of his stud freshmen teammates — Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh — eventually pass him on NBA boards due to their size and physicality.

Black is a 6’7 point guard who had a standout prep career for powerhouse Duncanville High School near Dallas. Black’s skill set is defined by his ironclad feel for the game. He’s the type of point guard who makes quick decisions as a passer, and leverages his size to see angles smaller guards would miss. He’s also a tremendous defender both at the point of attack and when making rotations to force turnovers. Shooting is definitely his swing skill after going 1-of-6 from three-point range and 5-of-10 from the free throw line in six FIBA U18 games. Teams will want to see him prove he can get to and finish at the rim, as well. Still, the size, feel, and defense makes him a likely lottery pick.

Walsh is a huge wing at 6’7 with a 7’3 wingspan with a strong frame. Walsh possesses impressive ball handling ability for someone with his size, and is at his best attacking defenses in the open floor. He’s a load when he’s getting downhill, and has no trouble finishing above the rim.

Walsh also has real playmaking flashes, but his outside shot remains a big question mark. He’ll make up for his shaky shooting on the defensive end, where he looks quick enough to survive on the perimeter but strong enough to hold up inside. The Razorbacks are going to be so much fun next year.

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It’s great to have all 3 sports to look forward to. And now we can actually keep up with and watch baseball regularly. Great time to be a Hog fan.


We need a bridge between baseball and football though. A long couple of months…

Blocker is comitting at Little Rock Christian.

He's a hog because he isn't comitting to Kansas in Little Rock. He would have done that at Sunrise in Kansas.

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6. Nick Smith, G, Arkansas

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The Arkansas native stayed home and will be the highest profile recruit the school has ever had. Offensive-minded, Smith might be the best guard in the SEC next year.

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12. Anthony Black, PG, Arkansas

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Yes, the Razorbacks are stacked, and the 6-7 Black has the potential to be one of their best scorers.

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2. Nick Smith, Arkansas

Position: Guard

If you were to build the perfect guard for the modern game it would look a whole lot like Nick Smith. Smith is an explosive scorer who can get to the rim and finish at will, which sets up what might be his best skill – the step-back jumper. Not just a scorer, Smith is a surgeon in ball screens who especially loves hitting the opposite corner skip pass to generate an open 3 for a teammate. In a year other than 2023, he’d have the look of a possible first overall pick.

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13. Anthony Black, Arkansas

Position: Guard

Arkansas has had recent success in rocketing big guards up draft lists and Anthony Black looks like he could be next in line for the Razorback bump. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard has a nice handle that allows him to utilize his quickness and his long first step makes him effective when attacking closeouts. For Black, like many of the off-ball perimeter players in this class, the 2022-23 season will be all about proving just how efficient his jumper can be.

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18. Jordan Walsh, Arkansas

Position: Forward

At this point in the projected first round, you’re going to see players like Jordan Walsh get consideration. He's a run-and-jump athlete who isn't a finished product but has all the physical tools necessary to be an NBA player. Walsh’s season at Arkansas will be all about showing he’s got some offensive weapons in the arsenal and proving he can be more than a role player.

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3. G Nick Smith Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 185 pounds | Arkansas: Freshman

Smith Jr. might be the only college player selected in the top five in the 2023 draft. The Arkansas guard caught the eyes of numerous scouts during the high school All-Star circuit (McDonald's All-American Game, Nike's Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic) and is high on a lot of draft boards. Smith Jr. is a highly skilled guard who seemingly makes the right decision when getting downhill and has a quick first step off the dribble.

Smith Jr. elected to stay home and play at Arkansas over blue-blood programs Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina. Smith Jr. will be a player to watch closely in the SEC next season, and he has all the tools to be a productive guard at the NBA level.

“I just have to keep working. I’m just 18 years old, and I know I still have a long way to go and I just have to continue to get better and develop as a player,” Smith Jr. told Yahoo Sports.

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11. G Anthony Black
Ht./Wt.: 6-7, 185 pounds | Arkansas: Freshman

Black has tremendous size as a primary ball handler and showed much more consistency and leadership during the FIBA U18 Americas Tournament, playing alongside Ware and Whitmore. Black ranked No. 1 overall in per-40-minute assists (8.4) and was second in per-40-minute rebounds (15.8).

"I think I do a lot of things that impact winning," Black told Yahoo Sports. "I know there's a lot of good players in the league that can score and do all that so I just have to show them that I can do other stuff too, like make plays for my teammates, play defense and just be a good leader."

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ESPN 2023 NBA Mock Draft

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3. Nick Smith

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12. Anthony Black

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21. Jordan Walsh

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5. Detroit Pistons: Nick Smith, guard, Arkansas

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The 6-foot-4 Smith opted to stay home after starring for North Little Rock High School. He’s a five-star recruit of the Razorbacks and No. 3 on ESPN’s top 2022 recruits.

Questions will be raised about Smith’s athleticism as a combo guard, but everything else is in place for him to succeed as a centerpiece for Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman. That includes a plus-level perimeter shot and an ability to play good defense on the outside. Sure Detroit already added another guard in Jaden Ivey to team up with Cade Cunningham. But this is what an early NBA mock draft is all about. Figuring out the prospects more than the fit.

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8. New York Knicks: Anthony Black, guard, Arkansas

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Eric Musselman had himself a hell of a recruiting class with three top-15 players. While Black might rank the lowest among the trio, he has the upside to succeed at the next level. A 6-foot-7 point guard with plus-level passing ability and an improving shot, he fits the modern NBA. New York could add a point guard in free agency. But this has been an area of need for eons now. Any NBA mock draft for 2023 has to include New York taking a point guard.

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19. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jordan Walsh, forward, Arkansas

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Class of 2023 four-star point guard Layden Blocker has committed to Arkansas, he told On3.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound prospect out of Sunrise (Kan.) Christian becomes the Razorbacks’ first commitment to the class.

Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Blocker will return to his home state post-high school graduation to play for head coach Eric Musselman. He also received offers from Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Maryland, and others.

Blocker ranks as the No. 42 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also ranked as the No. 7 point guard in the country.

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“I chose Arkansas because of the winning culture in basketball and other sports,” Blocker said to On3. “I like how Coach Muss has turned the basketball program around. He was clear on how they would use me on day one in their NBA-style system. Coach Muss and his staff do a great job preparing and developing players to get to the NBA. I chose Arkansas because it’s home.”

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Layden Blocker, the No. 34 overall prospect in the 2023 class, has committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks, he tells 247Sports.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard out of Bel Air (Kan.) Sunrise Christian committed to Eric Musselman over programs including Auburn, Baylor, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kansas State, Memphis and Oklahoma State amongst others.

"I chose Arkansas because of the winning culture in basketball and the other sports that they have," Blocker said of why he chose Arkansas. "Coach Muss turned that basketball program around and made it a powerful school. It's clear how they will use me from day one in their NBA style system and his staff does a great job of preparing and developing players to get to the NBA."

Blocker is currently playing out of Kansas but he is an Arkansas native who was previously at Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy and coming back home is something he will take pride in.

"It feels good because I won't let anybody down," he said of playing for his home-state team. "They've been talking to me since my recruitment started so I felt like going back to play for Arkansas is going to be a huge deal for me and my family."

Blocker has gotten to know the Arkansas head coach throughout the course of his recruitment and his coaching style really caught the eye of the prized recruit.

"He's a great coach after watching some of the practices," he said of Musselman. "The practices are very intense, NBA style and the energy is off the charts there so they're playing hard and playing the right way."

Blocker is a tough and athletic point guard with explosiveness that can get in the lane, finish at the rim, has really improved his jumper and is a terrific defender.

"I think I am just going to bring my speed, my leadership, my scoring ability and my facilitating ability," he said. "I feel like I can score in multiple ways and I can get my teammates involved."

Blocker is the first commit for Arkansas in their 2023 class.

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Arkansas continued to ride the tsunami of momentum it has built on the floor and the recruiting trail on Saturday, when Layden Blocker, the No. 37 prospect in the 2023 class, announced his commitment to the Razorbacks. The four-star point guard talked to Rivals.com about what motivated his decision following his public announcement.

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ON WHY HE CHOSE ARKANSAS

“I chose Arkansas because of the winning culture they have, not only in just basketball but every sport. It’s a place to go when you want to win. I also like how Coach [Eric Musselman] turned that program around and has it going. He’s done a great job. He was clear with me from day 1 on how they want to use me and how I fit the NBA style system they run. Coach Muss is great, but so is his staff. They do a great job of developing players to get to the NBA. I chose Arkansas for all of them and because it’s home.”

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ON THE LEVEL OF COMFORT IN FAYETTEVILLE

“I know a lot of the guys, mostly Nick Smith and Joseph Pinion. I’ve known those guys since I was, like, in sixth grade. I’m always listening to them when they talk.”

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ON WHAT ARKANSAS LIKES MOST ABOUT HIM

“They always tell me how much they value my leadership and my speed at the point guard position. They like my ability to get downhill. They think I’m elite when it comes to getting downhill. Also, they like my ability to score and facilitate for my teammates.”

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ON HIS PLAYER COMPARISON

“They didn’t compare me to JD Notae, but the coaches say that my game is similar to his in the way that I can get out in transition and facilitate for my teammates. Also, that I’m a two-way player like him.”

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WHAT ARKANSAS IS GETTING: Blocker has been steadily climbing the rankings for a full year, which reflects his trajectory as a prospect, as he seems to add polish to a different aspect of his game with each passing month. People spend a lot of time talking about his quickness, but his skill as a facilitator and a rebounder have developed rapidly this year. He crashes the boards extremely well for his size and has improved drastically when it comes to making wise decisions with the ball in his hands. Blocker gets downhill in a hurry and has a reasonably reliable jumper from deep. He’s capable of impacting the game in so many ways that he doesn’t need to develop into a dead-eye three-point threat in order to thrive in the SEC. His posted a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio as a junior and shot 53 percent from the floor.

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I remember when we used to shocked to get a top 40 prospect

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He's a hog because he isn't comitting to Kansas in Little Rock. He would have done that at Sunrise in Kansas.

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Common sense wins another one

The weird thing is, its starting to get more rare to hear about the player we really wanted but didn't get than the ones we landed. Once Muss gets on someone's track he's relentless in getting them to campus.