Even if Nick Smith Comes Back, He Shouldn't Be Expected to Be Knight in Shining Armor

Freshman guard is an 18-year-old who doesn't deserve Razorback fans piling his shoulders with unrealistic expectations

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Jan 27, 2023 12:51 PM EST
Original:
Jan 24, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sometime during the next week or two, Arkansas fans will have the answer to the most gripping question since "Who shot J.R." took hold of the state back in the '80s.

Will Nick Smith, Jr. ever play in a Razorback uniform again?

There's just one problem with that question. It comes with an expectation that if Smith returns, he's expected to be a super hero, some knight in shining armor who is going to swoop in to save Arkansas basketball from the brink of the NIT and lead the program to the national championship promised land.

It's not prudent. It's not fair.

Regardless of recruiting rankings, the reality is that Smith is still an 18-year old kid. Even if the Razorbacks were to be fortunate enough to find a way into the national championship game, that would still be a fact.

There are currently young men playing high school basketball in corners of this state who are older than Smith.

In terms of basketball age, the freshman guard is a high school basketball player plus two full games worth of minutes against sub-SEC competition.

That's not a slight on Smith. The tiny glimpse we got to see of his skills in live action indicates there is tremendous talent bubbling forth from the young man.

However, as Arkansas fans have been able to see firsthand, talent needs hours upon hours of court time at the college level to mature. Getting by on pure skill is all fine and dandy for a non-conference slate of mid-majors, but once the last week of December hits, it becomes a man's game the rest of the way and skill isn't enough.

As good as Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh are, it took them until three weeks into January to begin to really figure it out. It took playing nearly every possible second of 18 games plus all the accompanying practices and film sessions to reach that point.

Smith doesn't have that benefit.

Players experiencing Musselman's system for the for the first time regardless of age have to learn how to learn.

Most teams are working at a general education physical science level in terms of preparation, whereas Musselman has this team working through an AP Physics C basketball equivalent by the time the NCAA Tournament rolls around.

Expecting Smith to jump in and be able to process everything Musselman is throwing out at that time, apply it on the court, and execute it in a rotation that hasn't had him on the floor in SEC play is a huge ask.

That's on top of adjusting to grown men barking at him, shoving him all over the place, knowing every little thing that gets in his head and how to shut down certain aspects of his game while having the ability to do it.

No one has ever seen Smith experience that, so no one knows how he will handle it. Even if it goes well, it's still a major adjustment.

There's growth that Smith can't be expected to have right out the gate because it only comes with going through the wars on the court with your brothers under the guidance of your general.

So, if Smith comes back, enjoy the moment for what it is and bear with him through the growing pains.

He's not riding in on a white horse to save your day. That's not the responsibility of any teenager.

If he comes back, he's just a kid hoping to enjoy his time playing basketball, help out the boys in the locker room the best he can along the way, and take in what little bit of the college experience is left for him.

No extra pressure heaped onto him by fans needed.