NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Top-30 2022 G Nick Smith Jr. releases top 10

Arkansas Razorbacks

Experiencing a very strong season so far, the Razorbacks hold considerable weight in Smith’s contemplation about his chosen program for college. Arkansas is the sole in-state program on the entirety of his list and this season’s performances, especially from freshman guards, have been strong enough to further incentivize him to stay home. Head coach Eric Musselman has a proven track record drawing in top-tier talent from different tracks to assemble a formidable roster.

Evan as quickly as Musselman replenishes the roster via recruiting, the 2022 squad still needs lots of depth and additions before it’s ready to take the court. Mixing Smith into this group not only leads towards a likely starting gig, but a high-end role like current freshman guard Moses Moody has received. Smith has a complete skillset to be able to step in as the leader on both the offensive and defensive ends for this talented program.

North Carolina Tar Heels

The latest and potentially biggest offer on Smith’s list would be the Tar Heels. Despite a healthy and deeper roster relative to last season’s group, North Carolina is still struggling to find consistent production. UNC has been in some dog fights this year, which could have caused drastic changes on how the year unfolded if things played out slightly differently, but games have been much closer than Tar Heels fans are accustomed to.

A big issue is shot creation and confidence in shooting from the perimeter, which are areas Smith can immediately boost if he joined the program. Playing with patience and great court vision, Smith could be an instant space creator for every other member of the team and boost UNC’s offensive efficiency.

The allure of playing for a storied program of the Tar Heels caliber has not gone unnoticed by Smith as well. He has been very enthusiastic about the offer and North Carolina’s vision for his role within the program.