Arkansas basketball fans will have even more of a rooting interest in the NBA for years to come and that began Monday as former Hogs Nick Smith Jr. and Ricky Council IV got their first taste of summer league action.
Competing in two different summer leagues, both rookies fared well and produced entertaining highlights.
Smith, who was drafted 27th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, suited up in the California Classic Summer League for a 98-77 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Smith played the second most minutes (28:53) of any Hornet behind No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller. The North Little Rock High School product was 5-of-14 shooting from the field with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, one block and four turnovers.
While the Hornets were outscored 60-32 in the first half, Smith was still able to give a glimpse of what he's capable of.
It wasn't all offense for the 6-foot-5 guard, as he also had a very impressive sequence on defense late in the second quarter. Smith blocked a shot and then jumped out to the corner to contest the next shot, which didn't fall.
In the third quarter, Smith worked efficiently around a screen and drove aggressively to his left before pulling up for a made jumper that was lightly contested.
It wasn't a perfect first game by any means, as Smith had a +/- of -17, but it was a good start for a player who saw a big drop in his draft stock after only playing 17 games as a freshman due to a right knee injury.
Council wasn't selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, but he was quickly signed to a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers right after the conclusion of the draft. After spending one year at Arkansas as a transfer from Wichita State, Council proved that he is a capable scorer by leading the team with 16.1 points per game.
The Durham, North Carolina, native earned the start for the 76ers against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Salt Lake City Summer League and he also scored the team's first bucket of the summer league.
The Grizzlies narrowly defeated Philadelphia with a 94-92 win, but Council had a good performance. He shot 4-of-8 from the field with 11 points, six rebounds and one steal. Council had one turnover and one foul in 27:34 during the contest.
His most impressive sequence came in the third quarter when he played full-court defense, forced a turnover and slammed a thunderous dunk down in transition that Arkansas fans are more than familiar with.
Council and Smith will both be in action again Wednesday in their respective summer leagues. Smith and the Hornets will face the Golden State Warriors at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2, while Council and the 76ers will take on the Utah Jazz at 8 p.m. CT on NBA TV.
Nick Smith Jr. full highlights from July 3
Ricky Council IV full highlights from July 3
