Nick Smith projected in 2023 NBA draft

Arkansas fans know that next year will begin with the hype of brining the nation's No. 2 recruiting class to the floor, but the hype will be even more now.

Draft Express, which partnered with ESPN to do the first ever 2023 draft that includes players currently still playing in high school, has named Nick Smith, Jr. the top NBA prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.

We've elected to go with Nick Smith as our No. 1 prospect in the 2022 high school class. The 17-year-old offers a tantalizing combination of size, length, fluidity, shot-making, playmaking and competitiveness, giving him an ideal package for a modern NBA guard prospect. https://t.co/CEfSBW5kYW pic.twitter.com/2lNGNPE9aU
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 22, 2022

The Hogs landed Smith as a commit back in September, and officially signed him in a class that featured all Top 100 recruits in November.

The versatile guard was also recently named one of five players on the Max Preps National Player of the Year watchlist, and was named MVP of the King Cotton Classic while averaging 28 points, 6.3 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.

However, Smith's highest visibility came from a viral video of him stopping down to take on a challenge issued by a fraternity for a pick-up game where the high school phenom destroyed the much older frat brothers.

frats wanted me to hoop wit em lol i had to pic.twitter.com/05ZpStXWpU
— Nick Smith Jr (@lif3nick) October 17, 2021

Smith pinned himself this morning as being in Fayetteville, so fans most likely will see him at tonight's game.