FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas freshman guard Nick Smith Jr., has been selected the preseason National Newcomer of the Year and preseason All-American (fourth team) by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Blue Ribbon has also picked:
– Arkansas sixth in its preseason national poll.
– Arkansas second in its preseason SEC poll.
– Nick Smith Jr., to its five-person preseason All-SEC team.
– Nick Smith Jr., as its preseason SEC Newcomer of the Year.
Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe was tabbed the preseason National and SEC Player of the Year. Florida’s Colin Castleton was the only other SEC player on the Blue Ribbon 20-person preseason All-American team.
Smith enters his freshman season at Arkansas as one of the highest-touted recruits in program history. He joins Corliss Williamson as the only Razorback signee to be named a National High School Player of the Year. Overall, Smith was the overall #1 prospect by 247Sports.com while being rated the #1 combo guard in the country by 247Sports, the #1 point guard in the country by Rivals and the #1 shooting guard in the country by ESPN.
Smith is also listed as the first collegiate player to be selected in the 2023 NBA Draft by several websites and is considered a consensus lottery pick.
2022-23 Blue Ribbon Preseason SEC Honors
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Oscar Tshiebwe, JR, Kentucky
C-Colin Castleton, 6-11 SR, Florida
G-Nick Smith, Jr., FR, Arkansas
G-Santiago Vescovi, SR, Tennessee
G-Sahvir Wheeler, JR, Kentucky
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Oscar Tshiebwe, JR, Kentucky
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Nick Smith, Jr., FR, Arkansas