Smith on Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Watch List
FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback freshman Jordan Smith Jr. is one of 50 candidates – and 1 of just 5 freshmen – named to the 2026-27 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List, the Naismith Awards and Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.
Smith is on the Naismith Awards College Player of the Year Watch List after winning the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Award this past season.
Last year, Razorback Darius Acuff Jr. was a finalist for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Award. Other Calipari players honored by the Atlanta Tipoff Club include 1996 winner Marcus Camby (UMass), 2012 winner Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2022 winner Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), 2016 finalist Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and 2015 finalist Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky).
Smith was the consensus National High School Player of the Year last season. He was a McDonald’s All-American, played in the Nike Hoops Summit, played in the Jordan Brand Classic, and was selected first team All-American by MaxPreps, USA Today, Sporting News and Naismith Awards.
Smith’s Preseason Honors
- Bob Cousy Award Watch List
- Dick Vitale’s Diaper Dandy (1 of 9)
- #1 of Field of 68 Top 10 SEC Freshmen
- Andy Katz/NCAA.com #1 Most Impactful Freshman in the Nation
- John Rothstein Preseason All-American Honorable Mention
- Jay Bilas Preseason All-American Honorable Mention
- Jay Bilas All-Freshman First Team
- CBS Sports All-Freshman First Team
- Media and Coaches All-SEC (2nd)
- USA TODAY Sports Network SEC Freshman of the Year
- USA TODAY Sports Network All-SEC (1st)
Arkansas officially opens the 2026-27 season versus UAPB on Tuesday (Nov. 3) at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 pm and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+. It will be the first time the men’s basketball program has faced the Golden Lions.
2027 Naismith Awards Player of the Year Watch List
Amari Allen, Sophomore, Alabama
Flory Bidunga, Junior, Louisville
John Blackwell, Senior, Duke
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Freshman, Duke
Elliot Cadeau, Senior, Michigan
Rueben Chinyelu, Senior, Florida
Alex Condon, Senior, Florida
Jason Crowe Jr., Freshman, Missouri
Thijs De Ridder, Sophomore, Virginia
Silas Demary Jr., Senior, UConn
Mason Falslev, Senior, Utah State
Jeremy Fears Jr., Junior, Michigan State
PJ Haggerty, Senior, Texas A&M
Juke Harris, Junior, Tennessee
Thomas Haugh, Senior, Florida
Shelton Henderson, Sophomore, Miami
Aden Holloway, Senior, Alabama
Caleb Holt, Freshman, Arizona
Josh Hubbard, Senior, Mississippi State
Braden Huff, Senior, Gonzaga
Tomislav Ivišić, Senior, Illinois
Nigel James Jr, Sophomore, Marquette
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Senior, Kansas
Ivan Kharchenkov, Sophomore, Arizona
Motiejus Krivas, Senior, Arizona
Acaden Lewis, Sophomore, Miami
Tamin Lipsey, Senior, Iowa State
Trey McKenney, Sophomore, Michigan
David Mirković, Sophomore, Illinois
John Mobley Jr., Junior, Ohio State
Milan Momcilovic, Senior, Kentucky
Braylon Mullins, Sophomore, UConn
Paulius Murauskas, Senior, Arizona State
Patrick Ngongba II, Junior, Duke
Tahaad Pettiford, Junior, Auburn
David Punch, Junior, Texas
Malik Reneau, Senior, Miami
Rodney Rice, Senior, USC
Pryce Sandfort, Senior, Nebraska
Jackson Shelstad, Senior, Louisville
Jordan Smith Jr., Freshman, Arkansas
Andrej Stojaković, Senior, Illinois
Tyran Stokes, Freshman, Kansas
Tyler Tanner, Junior, Vanderbilt
JT Toppin, Senior, Texas Tech
Joseph Tugler, Senior, Houston
Matas Vokietaitis, Junior, Texas
Nolan Winter, Senior, Wisconsin
Robert Wright III, Junior, BYU
Tounde Yessoufou, Sophomore, St. John’s
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