2023 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Arkansas guards, SEC prominent in lottery

Nick Smith Jr. has appeared in only nine games to date for Arkansas, with multiple knee maladies casting a long shadow over his NBA Draft case. That said, Smith impresses whenever he’s on the floor and his strong track record dates back to high school. Teams should be interested early in the lottery.

For the Spurs, Smith would immediately take over a significant role in the second unit. While the success of Tre Jones and even rookie Malaki Branham is worth noting, the Spurs’ current backcourt feels mostly transitional outside of Devin Vassell. Smith would be a legitimate building block offensively.

One of the most talented shot-makers on the board, Smith would elevate San Antonio’s rather middling scoring profile. He can slice defenses apart with twitchy handles and a deep bag working the in-between game. Smith’s touch around the rim is star-level stuff, and it simultaneously makes it easy to buy him as a 3-point shooter long-term, even if his current numbers are more erratic than NBA teams might want.

Smith has excellent size for a combo guard at 6-foot-5, possessing long arms and plenty of athleticism that he translates to positive-impact defense. He’s more of a scorer than a playmaker right now, but Smith flashes his passing upside enough to warrant optimism. With Jones playing set-up man and Vassell carrying a large portion of the playmaking burden, Smith would be well-positioned to succeed in San Antonio under the guidance of Gregg Popovich.