Toronto Raptors draft: 3 SEC players to select in 2023 NBA Draft
By Mike Luciano
2. Nick Smith, SG, Arkansas
The Smith story has been explained several times over to the collective Raptors fanbase, but he makes too much sense as a selection for Toronto. Like Jackson, Smith is another vaunted recruit who would have likely gone much higher if he had been allowed to jump straight to the professional ranks.
Smith’s poor shooting averages and substandard play in the NCAA tournament will stick out in the eyes of fans wondering how low his floor really is. There is a future in which Smith gets drafted and never gets the physical base needed to compete at a high level in the pros.
Toronto Raptors draft: Nick Smith brings some risk with him.
There is an equally valid future, however, where the Raptors strike gold here. His high school tape made him look like a man among boys, and the highs he reached in that time make him a no-doubt lottery pick that could work for several different franchises.
Nick Nurse had a habit of throwing rookies into the fire early in their careers, but Smith might need to be brought along very judiciously if they want to maximize his potential. The wrong developmental plan could be a disaster for him.