What They're Saying: Reaction to Nick Smith's commitment

The first five-star recruit to commit to Arkansas since Bobby Portis in the 2013 class, Nick Smith Jr. is an incredibly gifted player.

But don’t just take our word for it. Check out what these notable basketball people are saying about his game…

Scotty Thurman - Little Rock Parkview head coach, Arkansas legend, former Arkansas assistant

On what Nick Smith brings to the table as a player

He’s a big-time player. I think he’s a guy that’s a three-position player at the college level. I think he can play the 1, 2 or 3. I think he’s definitely a potential pro given his skillset. I think he brings a lot of things to the table in terms of his moxie, his confidence and his play-making ability, and I think he’s a winner.

We’ve had some serious battles with me being at Parkview and him being at Sylvan Hills. I got a chance to see him put teams on his back and not only with just his scoring ability, but with his leadership and his play-making ability. That’s what really stood out to me, is that he’s an ultra competitor.

On where Nick Smith showed the most improvement from his sophomore to junior season

I think his skillset just really improved. He was always a good player as a sophomore when I faced him initially, but I think as a junior, he really kind of grew from just a 2 or a point and being able to be both. Not that he wasn’t before, but I think he really embraced the play-making part of being a point and I think he has the ability to change his mindset and realize when he’s at the 2 and his team needs him to score, he does a great job of that, too.