Under head coach Eric Musselman, the Arkansas Razorbacks have on their hands their most highly anticipated basketball team in recent memory.
Musselman was instrumental in getting three five-star prospects to Fayetteville, and now he’s responsible for helping them succeed and eventually enter their name for the 2023 NBA Draft.
But there are also challenges to having that much talent on one team, especially in regards to the NBA Draft.
Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh are all viable prospects in their own right, but working together is another beast entirely.
Smith Jr., the highest rated consensus player of the three, is a do-it-all guard with tremendous upside. At 6-foot-5, he’s a long combo guard with great scoring instincts, a lethal jump shot and workable skills in most areas.
Black, listed at 6-foot-7, is a polarizing, skillful hybrid, capable of creating for himself and others. He’s a useful playmaker, potentially the best pure passer in the class and a savvy player overall.
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Walsh is the picture of versatility. While he has a ways to go in terms of shooting, he’s a premier defender and connecting piece, and exactly the type of player who should bring the roster together.
It’s not often three players all raise their stock playing together on one team, but it isn’t unprecedented by any means.
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Last year, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga were drafted at second and seventh overall, respectively, after playing alongside each other with the G League Ignite. And while they certainly didn’t raise their stock, they helped prove that you can at least be considered valuable prospects in both their cases.
Perhaps the best case in recent memory was the Duke trio of Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish.
Williamson earned himself the honor of being the top selection in the draft, with Barrett right on his heels at No. 3. Finally, Reddish was taken tenth overall by the Hawks.
While there’s no realistic path for any of the three to take one of the first two spots, currently held by Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, there’s hope that Smith and Black can each enter the ranks of the top ten with successful seasons.
The real question lies within how Smith Jr. and Black can operate with and without the ball in their hands. One thing that made the combination of Williamson-Barrett-Reddish so successful was Barrett’s ability to succeed without being a centrifugal piece.
Smith Jr. and Black are both at their best with the ball in their hands, especially the latter. But this may be the Smith Jr. Show.
Black’s shot needs some work, but he’s not a non-shooter. And more and more we’ve seen college and NBA teams opting to employ multiple ball-handers: the Warriors, Thunder, Suns, etc.
Walsh will have the ability to showcase his potential without the ball in his hands. He’ll be able to play sound, fundamental basketball, guard opposing stars night in and out and function as a cutter and slasher on offense.
While there’s going to be plenty of factors affecting each of their paths towards the NBA, talent will shine through above all, and Arkansas has plenty of that moving forward. Come draft night 2023, we could be hearing all three names sooner rather than later.
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