Nick Smith Jr. was red-hot in career-best performance versus San Antonio

It's been a journey for Nick Smith Jr. since he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the summer of 2023, but this season has certainly been a stepping stone for what's to come, despite his inconsistencies. His performance on Friday night was easily the best of his NBA career.

Smith scored a career-high 26 points in the Hornets' win over the Spurs, but it was his terrific first-half that got the attention of those watching, where he poured in 22 of his 26 total points.

Not only did he score 22 points in the half, but he did it on tremendous efficiency. He went 7/8 from the field and 6/6 from three in just 13 minutes. It didn't matter where he was on the floor or what the coverage was, he had the confidence to make the shot.

For a 20-year-old player, it's super impressive to have a half like that, especially considering the efficiency of how he was shooting the ball from range, even with "heat-checks."

Smith's season has been as up-and-down as you might expect for a young player, but his motor and confidence within himself have made his teammates and his coaches have the utmost confidence in him.

His previous two best games came recently this season in back-to-back games, when he scored 24 points versus Washington and 23 points versus Milwaukee. He also scored 24 points in his last game of his rookie campaign against Cleveland.

For Smith, the next step of his development will have to be consistency. He's had moments like this before, where he's shot lights out for a couple of games and then reverts to bad shooting splits not too long after. If he wants to be considered a long-term piece of the Hornets, then that factor will certainly be something that will need to be improved upon in the near future.

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