By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas men’s basketball team was picked to finish second for the 2022-23 season and freshman guard Nick Smith Jr., was selected first team preseason All-SEC by a select panel of media.
This is the highest preseason ranking for an Arkansas team since they were predicted to win the SEC West in 2007-08. Each media member involved in the voting also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team.
Smith is the first true freshman at Arkansas ever selected preseason All-SEC first team. He is the 11th Razorback to receive the honor. The others are Todd Day (1991-92), Scotty Thurman (1993-94 and 1994-95, Corliss Williamson (1993-94 and 1994-95), Joe Johnson (2000-01), Ronnie Brewer (2005-06), Patrick Beverley (2007-080), BJ Young (2012-13), Bobby Portis (2014-15), Moses Kingsley (2016-17) and Daniel Gafford (2018-19).
Smith was the 2022 USA TODAY High School National Player of the Year and was the top-rated prospect in the country by 247Sports.com. He has also been tabbed the National Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
Smith and the Razorbacks will host Rogers State on Monday night at 7 p,m. in Bud Walton Arena. 2022-23 SEC Preseason Media Poll
| ORDER OF FINISH | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Kentucky |
| 2 |  Arkansas |
| 3 |  Tennessee |
| 4 |  Auburn |
| 5 |  Alabama |
| 6 |  Texas A&M |
| 7 |  Florida |
| 8 |  LSU |
| 9 |  Ole Miss |
| 10 |  Mississippi State |
| 11 |  Missouri |
| 12 |  Vanderbilt |
| 13 |  Georgia |
| 14 |  South Carolina |
SEC Player of the Year
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
F Sr. 6-9 260 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Preseason All-SEC First-Team
Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
G Fr. 6-5 185 Jacksonville, Ark.
Colin Castleton , Florida
F 5th 6-11 250 Deland, Fla.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
F Sr. 6-9 260 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky
G Sr. 5-9 180 Houston, Texas
Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee
G Sr. 6-3 192 Montevideo, Uruguay
Preseason All-SEC Second-Team
Brandon Miller, Alabama
F Fr. 6-9 200 Antioch, Tenn.
Jahvon Quinerly, Alabama
G Sr. 6-1 175 Hackensack, N.J.
KJ Williams LSU
F 5th 6-10 250 Cleveland, Miss.
Josiah-Jordan James, Tennessee
G Sr. 6-6 224 Charleston, S.C.
Zakai Zeigler Tennessee
G So. 5-9 171 Long Island, N.Y.