FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas freshman Nick Smith Jr. was named to the preseason All-SEC first team by the league’s coaches, it was announced Wednesday.
Smith, a McDonald's All-American and former 5-star recruit from North Little Rock, is the lone first-year player on the nine-player first team. No other Razorbacks player was selected to the 17-player teams.
No predicted order of finish was made by the head coaches.
The No. 1 overall prospect in the final class of 2022 rankings by 247 Sports, Smith enters the 2022-23 season with plenty of expectations.
In October, he was a preseason All-SEC first-team selection by media members who cover the conference. Projected to be a top-five pick in next year’s NBA Draft, Smith was also picked as the National Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon Yearbook and named a third-team All-American.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to officially open the season Monday, Nov. 7 against North Dakota State in Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network-Plus.
All-SEC first team
Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama
Nick Smith Jr. – Arkansas
Colin Castleton – Florida
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky
Tolu Smith – Mississippi State
Kobe Brown – Missouri
Santiago Vescovi – Tennessee
Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
All-SEC second team
Brandon Miller – Alabama
Wendell Green Jr. – Auburn
K.D. Johnson – Auburn
Kario Oquendo – Georgia
KJ Williams – LSU
Matthew Murrell – Ole Miss
Josiah-Jordan James – Tennessee
Henry Coleman III – Texas A&M