Arkansas recruiting: Jordan Smith, the No. 2 participant in Class of 2026, places ‘belief’ in John Calipari

Jordan Smith, the No. 2 total participant within the Class of 2026, dedicated to Arkansas at his ‘Senior Night time’ at Fairfax (Virginia) Paul VI Catholic Excessive Faculty on Friday. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard picked the Razorbacks over finalists that included Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgetown and Syracuse.

Smith is the third dedication for Arkansas for the 2026 recruited class. He joins No. 12-ranked JJ Andrews, a five-star wing and No. 26-ranked Abdou Toure, a four-star wing.

Arkansas’ 2026 class is now No. 5 within the nation, behind Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Michigan in accordance with 247Sports.

Smith picked Arkansas due to his relationship with Razorbacks coach John Calipari and the chance to right away contribute in a giant manner.

“I’ve simply all of the belief in coach (John) Calipari,” Smith informed 247Sports. “His resume speaks for itself. And simply what he has completed with different guards in my scenario who play like me and influence profitable. I really feel like he has completed a extremely good job. I additionally really feel like he’s a real particular person. Character speaks so much in immediately’s world and he has one of the best character. I relate to him so much.”

Smith is analogous to present Arkansas guard Acuff 

Calipari has a long-standing historical past of creating elite guards and getting them prepared for the NBA Draft. Present freshman Arkansas level guard and former five-star prospect Darius Acuff is having the most effective seasons in all of faculty basketball.

Smith actually acknowledged how Calipari handles prime guards and has a confirmed observe document of success on the subsequent degree. Acuff’s success this season in Fayetteville was an easy comparability for Smith.

“Me and Acuff are the identical dimension and the identical top, so simply to see how Acuff is enjoying and the way Calipari has put him in numerous positions to assist him succeed and to get to the following degree – I actually see inspiration in that,” Smith mentioned. “I really feel I can are available and make an influence straight away, so with Calipari’s assist, I really feel like I can do something.” 

When Smith took his go to to Arkansas within the fall, Calipari’s message, historical past and the chance he offered to Smith made a long-lasting impression that modified the course of his recruitment.

“It felt like dwelling after I bought there, it simply felt like dwelling,” Smith mentioned. “After all, I needed to take different visits simply to see if it will really feel the identical and actually, the opposite ones did not really feel the identical as (Arkansas). The primary really feel I bought from there – it was an actual excessive depth apply. It regarded enjoyable there… There are actually no distractions there both, so I really feel like I can actually do what I have to do to get to the following degree.”

The place Smith can have largest influence  

There is probably not a participant in highschool basketball who impacts profitable in additional methods or with the identical consistency as Jordan Smith. The Paul VI and Group Takeover guard has terrific bodily instruments and even higher aggressive intangibles that permit him to vary the sport on each ends of the ground. He averaged 19.2 factors, 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals per sport through the current EYBL season.

Bodily, Smith is lengthy and highly effective with a 6-foot-8.5-inch wingspan and chiseled physique. He is additionally a very good athlete who excels defensively, has switchability on that finish of the ground due to his bodily energy and toughness, and can be an elite perimeter rebounder.

Offensively, Smith will get downhill like few different guards within the class and has persistently developed his ball expertise through the years in order that he now has respectable on/off-ball versatility. He can provoke offense and make selections (3.4 assists vs. 1.5 turnovers), put strain on the rim along with his drive and physicality when he turns the nook, or take smaller guards into the submit. He is an improved shooter, with a notably excessive launch, however nonetheless extra constant along with his mid-range pull-up than his 3-point capturing with some occasional sidespin (25% on 3-pointers and 68% on free throws.

Smith’s transition to subsequent ranges can even be lightened by the truth that he would not should be an offensive point of interest to influence the sport. He can do it along with his protection, rebounding, power, competitiveness or unselfishness. His intangibles are actually elite, so whereas he might not have completely best dimension or ball expertise, he is extraordinarily exhausting to guess towards.

How Smith will match at Arkansas

Acuff is on a one-and-done observe. He was the top-ranked level guard in highschool basketball a 12 months in the past, appears to be like like he may very well be the SEC Participant of the Yr this season and problem for a spot within the lottery of June’s NBA Draft. 

There was just one participant in highschool basketball who had an opportunity to switch him, and that is Smith.

Now, that does not imply that Smith is precisely the identical sort of participant as Acuff and that is why the roster development round him shall be vital.

Acuff is a real lead guard who operates with the ball in his hand and is the primary domino within the overwhelming majority of the offensive possessions he is on the court docket ground. Smith is able to enjoying that function, however he may slide off the ball. Actually, one factor that distinguishes Smith is the multitude of the way he can influence the sport with out having to have the ball in his arms. Even defensively, he must be one of the vital college-ready freshmen within the nation subsequent season.

With a large open 2027 NBA Draft in thoughts, Smith and his illustration are undoubtedly on the lookout for loads of on-ball quantity. Concurrently, although, Smith can be ideally suited subsequent to different guards that may share these ball-handling duties and supply some extra shot-making. 

If DJ Wagner and Meleek Thomas had been to return for the 2026-27 season, that will test each of these bins. Wagner would not have a lot NBA buzz at this level, so a senior season must be possible. Thomas is more likely to take a look at the waters, however might discover a return to school as a fringe first-rounder with an opportunity to assist his inventory as extra of a focus subsequent season. If both of these depart, then Arkansas will want one other influence guard out of the portal.

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