By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- The 2023 NBA Draft is set for tonight in New York and it could have a strong Arkansas flavor to it.
If, as expected, four Razorbacks are drafted that will match the haul in the 1992 NBA Draft. The Hogs expected to be picked are Anthony Black, Nick Smith Jr., Jordan Walsh and Ricky Council IV.
It seems a given that Black will be a lottery pick, Smith has slipped but will go in Round 1 and Council taken in second round. It's Walsh who could make for an interesting night. Walsh has been projected to go in Round 2, but could go pretty early after the first 30 picks.
Black played in all 36 games for Arkansas in 2022-23 and averaged 34.8 minutes each game. NBA teams love the durability Black presents. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals each game. He only shot 30.1% from behind the 3-point line, but teams are hoping he will gradually improve that.
Black has been projected between 6-9 in the majority of the major mock drafts published Wednesday. Many have him going to Orlando at No. 6, a few to Washington at 8 and at least one Utah at No. 9.
Smith is all over the map after an injury-riddled season at Arkansas that limited him to 17 games. Smith still averaged 12.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steal. He is being projected as high as 17 to the Los Angeles Lakers and then down to Brooklyn at 21 and 22. The Nets own back-to-back choices there. Smith knocked down 33.8% from deep.
The biggest surprise of the final mock drafts came from Bleacher Report. They projected Walsh to go No. 25 in Round 1 to Memphis. That's big far the highest prediction for Walsh. At Arkansas in one season, Walsh played in 36 games as well. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assist and 1.1 steals. He shot 27.8% from behind the 3-point line, but as with Black teams are hoping to fix that.
Council actually topped the Hogs in scoring. He averaged 16.1 points per outing. Council also averaged 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 27.0% from 3-point land. He's very athletic and is older than the other three Hogs being drafted.
In 1992, the Hogs saw Todd Day, Oliver Miller and Lee Mayberry go in Round 1 and then Isaiah Morris Round 2.
Day was taken by the MIlwaukee Bucks at 8. Miller then went to the Phoenix Suns at 22 and the very next pick (23) Mayberry joined Day in Milwaukee. Morris went to the Miami Heat with the No. 37-overall pick in Round 2.
Through the years 13 Razorbacks have been drafted in Round 1. The last such player was Moses Moody taken by the Golden State Warriors in 2021 at No. 14. Sidney Moncrief at No. 5 in Round 1 during the 1979 NBA Draft remains the highest pick ever for a Razorback.
Other first-round picks through the years are Ron Brewer (1978, Portland Trailblazers, No. 7), Darrell Walker (1983, New York Knicks, No. 12), Alvin Robertson (1984, San Antonio Spurs, No. 7), Joe Kleine (1985, Sacramento Kings, No. 6), Corliss Williamson (1995, Sacramento Kings, No. 13), Joe Johnson (2001, Boston Celtics, No. 10), Ronnie Brewer (2006, Utah Jazz, No. 14) and Bobby Portis, 2015, Chicago Bulls, No. 22).