Excerpt from Arkansas’ Nick Smith Jr. and Ricky Council IV’s NBA Summer League debut

Arkansas basketball fans will have an even bigger interest in the NBA for years to come and that began Monday when the Hogs Nick Smith Jr. got their hands on the NBA. and Ricky Council IV getting their first taste of the Summer League.

Competing in two different summer tournaments, both rookies performed well and produced entertaining highlights.

Recruited 27th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, Smith was fit for the California Summer League Classic for a 98-77 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Smith played the second most minutes (28:53) of any Hornet game behind second-place finisher Brandon Miller. North Little Rock High School’s 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 trailing 60-32 at halftime, Smith was still able to give a hint of what he was capable of.

It wasn’t all offense for the 6-foot-5 guard, as he also had a pretty impressive sequence on defense late in the second quarter. Smith blocked a shot and then jumped into the corner to contest the next shot, which did not fall.

In the third quarter, Smith efficiently worked around a screen and drove hard to his left before pulling a made jumper that was slightly contested.

It was by no means a perfect first game, as Smith had a +/- of -17, but it was a good start for a player who saw his draft stock drop after playing just 17 games as a freshman. injury to the right knee.

Council was not selected in the 2023 NBA draft, but was quickly signed to a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers immediately after the completion of the draft. After spending one year in Arkansas as a transfer from Wichita State, Board proved he was a capable scorer by leading the team with 16.1 points per game.

The Durham, North Carolina native earned a 76-game start against the Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City’s Summer League and also scored the team’s first summer league bucket.

The Grizzlies narrowly defeated Philadelphia with a 94-92 win, but Council had a good showing. He shot 4-of-8 from the field with 11 points, six rebounds and one steal. The board had one turnover and one foul at 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 into the transition Arkansas fans are known for.

Council and Smith will be in action again on Wednesday in their respective summer leagues. Smith and the Hornets will take on the Golden State Warriors at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2, while the Board and 76ers will take on the Utah Jazz at 8 p.m. CT on NBA TV.