| No. 8 – Charlotte Hornets | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard / shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2004-04-18) April 18, 2004 (age 20) Jacksonville, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Arkansas (2022–2023) |
| NBA draft | 2023: 1st round, 27th overall pick |
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | Charlotte Hornets |
| 2023–2024 | →Greensboro Swarm |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats  at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Nicholas Smith Jr. (born April 18, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended North Little Rock High SchoolinNorth Little Rock, Arkansas during his senior year of high school, where he was named the #1 overall recruit in the class of 2022.
Smith originally attended Sylvan Hills High SchoolinSherwood, Arkansas before transferring to North Little Rock High SchoolinNorth Little Rock, Arkansas[1] prior to his senior year.[2][3] He was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Boys Underclassman of the Year his sophomore year, and Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons.[4][5] After leading North Little Rock High to a 26–3 record and the Arkansas Class 6A state championship, Smith was selected to play in the 2022 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.[6][7]
Smith was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class, according to major recruiting services. On September 29, 2021, he committed to being on the college basketball team for the Arkansas Razorbacks, over other finalists Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas–Pine Bluff. Smith also received offers from Oklahoma, Georgetown, Kansas, North Carolina, Baylor, Florida, Butler, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Texas and Tennessee.[8][9] Smith was a consensus top five recruit nationally and was named the #1 overall recruit in the 2022 class by 247Sports.
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Smith PG / SG |
Jacksonville, AR | North Little Rock (AR) | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Sep 29, 2021 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 94 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 2 247Sports: 1 ESPN: 3 | ||||||
Sources:
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Smith was projected to be a starting guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks for the 2022–23 season, though a persistent knee injury kept him sidelined for the majority of the season. Smith appeared in seventeen games, averaging 12.5 points per contest.[10]
Smith was selected as the 27th pick of the 2023 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Charlotte | 51 | 0 | 14.3 | .391 | .432 | .867 | 1.4 | 1.2 | .2 | .1 | 5.9 |
| Career | 51 | 0 | 14.3 | .391 | .432 | .867 | 1.4 | 1.2 | .2 | .1 | 5.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Arkansas | 17 | 14 | 25.8 | .376 | .338 | .740 | 1.6 | 1.7 | .8 | .1 | 12.5 |
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