2023 NBA Mock Draft 8.0: Spurs win Wembanyama sweepstakes

Injuries overwhelmed Nick Smith’s freshman season at Arkansas. The former top recruit struggled to stay on the floor and when he was on the floor, he didn’t look like the Nick Smith we all expected. That shouldn’t deter the Raptors from maintaining confidence in the 19-year-old who was widely considered a top-5 pick before the season.

Smith has good positional size at 6-foot-5, a trait the Raptors, in particular, seem to value. He’s also an excellent fit in terms of skill set. Toronto’s lack of self-creation and perimeter scoring was a big issue last season. Smith isn’t quite full-time point guard material, but he’s a shifty ball-handler who can get to his spots and provide Toronto with more points created from scratch.

What makes Smith special is his ability to operate with or without the basketball. He’s a nifty cutter who has a good sense of when to relocate and how to keep the defense occupied. He has absurd, star-making touch on shots at the rim. His was an inconsistent 3-point shooter at Arkansas, but he took a healthy volume and there’s reason to believe in the jumper long-term.

A lot of folks will have to reflect and reconsider their opinion of Masai Ujiri and the Raptors’ front office if Toronto passes up on a guard prospect of Smith’s caliber in favor of another wing. At some point, they have to add a greater variety of role and skill to that offensive ecosystem.

Check out our full scouting report on Nick Smith Jr.