Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is in the books, we know the official order of the 2023 NBA Draft. The San Antonio Spurs were the big winners of the event, receiving the No. 1 overall pick and the right to draft generational talent Victor Wembanyama. While the French phenom has stolen most of the headlines, there is still plenty of talent throughout the rest of the draft as well. One player sure to receive plenty of hype is guard Nick Smith Jr. out of Arkansas.
Smith was getting plenty of NBA hype before he ever suited up for the Razorbacks, as he was the top high school recruit in the country according to 247Sports. He was solid in his lone season with the Razorbacks, averaging 12.5 points per game, but a knee injury limited him to just 17 games and affected him even when he played. He's still clearly a first-round pick, but going in the top-five like many predicted previously seems unlikely.
Still, Nick Smith Jr. should make any team that takes him in the upcoming draft very happy. With that in mind, here are the three best NBA Draft destinations for the Arkansas star.
3. New Orleans Pelicans – Pick No. 14
The Pelicans are a team that could be elite if not for horrible injury luck. Two of their best players, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, missed a combined 90 games this past season, and injuries have been a problem for them for a while. Even with those injury woes, New Orleans still won 42 games and finished ninth in the Western Conference before losing in the Play-In Tournament.
With New Orleans' two best players being in the front court, getting a guard to pair with them seems like a good idea. The Pelicans already have two solid guards in Trey Murphy III and C.J. McCollum, so Nick Smith Jr. could give them even more to work with. Although his shooting wasn't great at Arkansas last season, many project that he will become a good shooter in time. He could be another young cornerstone for the Pelicans to build around.
2. Toronto Raptors – Pick No. 13
The Raptors could realistically tear it down this offseason. Fred VanVleet is a pending free agent and trade rumors surrounding Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby keep getting louder and louder. After a forgettable .500 season and no playoff appearance, this era of Raptors basketball could be coming to an end.
One reason why Toronto struggled this season was due to poor shooting. The Raptors finished 27th in field goal percentage (45.9%) and 28th in three-point percentage (33.5%). With two of their better shooters in VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. about to hit free agency, this could be an even more dire need for the Raptors soon.
If Nick Smith Jr. develops like many have predicted, he could solve those shooting woes in time. His creativity and defensive skillset could also help immediately, and he could be a key piece of Toronto's rebuild.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder – Pick No. 12
The Thunder could dominate the NBA for a long time if they play their cards right. They already have great young talent like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, and still have a ridiculous amount of future draft capital. All the pieces are in place for Oklahoma City to emerge as a future NBA power.
If any team can afford to take a big swing on a prospect with questions like Nick Smith Jr., it's the Thunder. If he can recapture the hype he had before the season, then he's yet another future star for OKC to build around. The thought of Smith at his peak alongside SGA, Giddey and others should scare NBA teams.
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