Basketball (M)

Black, Smith Go in NBA Draft 1st Rd; Walsh Picked 38th Overall

Mike Cawood June 23, 2023
Anthony Black Bio/Stats Nick Smith Jr. Bio/Stats Jordan Walsh Bio/Stats

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Anthony Black (#6 overall to the Orlando Magic) and teammate Nick Smith Jr. (#27 overall to the Charlotte Hornets) were the first Razorbacks taken in the first round of the same NBA Draft since 1992. In the second round, Arkansas had Jordan Walsh go with the 38th overall pick by the Boston Celtics.

Overall, Arkansas had three players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, the most since 1992 (4), just the fourth time as many as three went in the same year with 1982 (3) and 1979 (2) and the 10th time more than one Razorback was picked in the same draft.

Razorback NBA Draft notes:

  • Black is the 42nd Razorback to be drafted, 14th first rounder and ties for the second-highest Razorback drafted.
  • Black is the first Razorback drafted by Orlando. In fact, he will be the first Razorback to ever play for the Magic.
  • Black ties Joe Kleine (#6 overall to the Sacramento Kings in 1985) as the second-highest Razorback to be picked. Sidney Moncrief (#5 overall to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1979) is the highest Razorback to be drafted.
  • Black is the seventh Razorback to be a Lottery Pick (instituted in 1985) and the second in the Eric Musselman era, joining Moses Moody (#14 overall by Golden State Warriors) in 2021.
  • Smith is the 43rd Razorback to be drafted, 15th first rounder and 15th highest-ranked Razorback drafted.
  • Smith is the first Razorback drafted by Charlotte.
  • Black and Smith joined the 1992 trio of Todd Day (8th overall), Oliver Miller (22nd overall) and Lee Mayberry (23rd overall) as the only Razorback teammates to be drafted in the first round in the same year.
  • Walsh is the 44th Razorback to be drafted and ties Daniel Gafford for the 20th-highest Razorback drafted. He is the 25th Razorback picked in the top two rounds.
  • Walsh is the third Razorback selected by the Celtics, joining Joe Johnson and Marvin Delph.
  • Black, Smith and Walsh are the second, third and fourth one-and-dones in Razorback history. All four Razorback one-and-dones have come under head coach Eric Musselman as Moses Moody was the first one-and-done in 2021.
  • This marks the fifth-straight year at least one Razorback has been taken in the NBA Draft, joining Daniel Gafford (2019), Isaiah Joe (2020), Moses Moody (2021) and Jaylin Williams (2022).
  • This also marks the fifth-straight year Coach Musselman has had a player drafted joining Cody Martin (2019 at Nevada), Joe, Moody and Williams.

ANTHONY BLACK
1st Rd • 6th overall pick
Orlando Magic

  • All-SEC 2nd Team (coaches) and SEC All-Freshman Team
  • Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year Finalist
  • NABC All-District 20 2nd Team
  • CBS Sports/USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Nov. 22) for his early-season play through Louisville at Maui
  • Named SEC co-Freshman of the Week (Nov. 28) for his play at Maui
  • WAS THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE SEC TOP 25 in Scoring • Rebounding • Assists • Steals • Blocked Shots
    ^3rd in steals (2.06) • 5th in assists (3.92) • 18th in scoring (12.78) • 23rd in blks (0.61) • 24th in rebs (5.06)
  • LED the SEC in minutes (34:51) … It was the 4th-most total minutes (1,253) by a Hog in a season … Played all 40 minutes in regulation three times and all 20 minutes of a half 19 times
  • Set Arkansas freshman season records in steals (74) • steals/gm (2.06) • minutes (1,253) • minutes/gm (34:51) • free throw attempts (190) • games (36) • starts (36)
  • Was the only Razorback to start all 36 games
  • Is THE ONLY player in Razorback history to reach 450+ points, 180+ rebounds and 140+ assists in a season (460-182-141)
  • IN THE UA SEASON RECORD BOOK: 38 SEC steals (T-3rd); 82 SEC Assists (9th)
  • Named to the 5-man Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team … Led all scorers (22.3 ppg) at Maui

NICK SMITH Jr.
1st Rd • 27th overall pick
Charlotte Hornets

  • Only played 17 games (with 14 starts) due to right knee management … Averaged 12.5 points … Was 33.8% from 3-point range (24-of-71)
  • Named the CBS Sports/USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Dec. 13) and Dick Vitale’s “Diaper Dandy” Star of the Week (Dec. 12)
  • Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week (co on Dec. 12 and solo on Feb. 27)
  • PRESEASON HONORS included: John R. Wooden Award Watch List, NABC Division I Player of the Year Watch List, Jerry West Award Watch List, Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year Watch List, consensus All-American and first team All-SEC

JORDAN WALSH
2nd Rd • 38th overall pick
Boston Celtics

  • Played in 36 games with 22 starts … Tied Anthony Black for most games played by a Razorback freshman in a season (36) … 1 of 4 Hogs to play all 36 games in 2022-23
  • Averaged 7.1 points and 3.9 rebounds with 40 steals … Only shot 27.8% from 3-point range, but was 34.4% (11-of-32) from deep the final 19 games.
  • Was +22 in the 10-point win over Illinois and +12 in the one-point win over Kansas … Among the regulars, was a team-best +8.52/40 min.
  • Was on the 2022-23 preseason Julius Erving Award Watch List, which goes to the nation’s top small forward

For more­­ information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.

 

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