Jordan Smith, the No. 2 overall player in the Class of 2026, committed to Arkansas at his ‘Senior Night’ at Fairfax (Virginia) Paul VI Catholic High School 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 commitment 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 in the country, behind Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Michigan according to 247Sports.
Smith picked Arkansas because of his relationship with Razorbacks coach John Calipari and the opportunity to immediately contribute in a big way.
“I have just all the trust in coach (John) Calipari,” Smith told 247Sports. “His resume speaks for itself. And just what he has done with other guards in my situation who play like me and impact winning. I feel like he has done a really good job. I also feel like he is a genuine person. Character speaks a lot in today’s world and he has the best character. I relate to him a lot.”
Smith has similarities to current Arkansas guard Acuff
Calipari has a long-standing history of developing elite guards and getting them ready for the NBA Draft. Current freshman Arkansas point guard and former five-star prospect Darius Acuff is having one of the best seasons in all of college basketball.
Smith certainly recognized how Calipari handles top guards and has a proven track record of success at the next level. Acuff’s success this season in Fayetteville was a very easy comparison for Smith.
“Me and Acuff are the same size and the same height, so just to see how Acuff is playing and how Calipari has put him in different positions to help him succeed and to get to the next level – I really see inspiration in that,” Smith said. “I feel I can come in and make an impact right away, so with Calipari’s help, I feel like I can do anything.”
When Smith took his visit to Arkansas in the fall, Calipari’s message, history and the opportunity he presented to Smith made a lasting impression that changed the course of his recruitment.
“It felt like home when I got there, it just felt like home,” Smith said. “Of course, I had to take other visits just to see if it would feel the same and honestly, the other ones didn’t feel the same as (Arkansas). The first feel I got from there – it was a real high intensity practice. It looked fun there… There are really no distractions there either, so I feel like I can really do what I need to do to get to the next level.”
Where Smith will have biggest impact
There may not be a player in high school basketball who impacts winning in more ways or with the same consistency as Jordan Smith. The Paul VI and Team Takeover guard has terrific physical tools and even better competitive intangibles that allow him to change the game on both ends of the floor. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals per game during the recent EYBL season.
Physically, Smith is long and powerful with a 6-foot-8.5-inch wingspan and chiseled physique. He’s also a good athlete who excels defensively, has switchability on that end of the floor because of his physical strength and toughness, and is also an elite perimeter rebounder.
Offensively, Smith gets downhill like few other guards in the class and has consistently developed his ball skills over the years so that he now has legitimate on/off-ball versatility. He can initiate offense and make decisions (3.4 assists vs. 1.5 turnovers), put pressure on the rim with his force and physicality when he turns the corner, or take smaller guards into the post. He’s an improved shooter, with a notably high release, but still more consistent with his mid-range pull-up than his 3-point shooting with some occasional sidespin (25% on 3-pointers and 68% on free throws.
Smith’s transition to subsequent levels will also be lightened by the fact that he doesn’t need to be an offensive focal point to impact the game. He can do it with his defense, rebounding, energy, competitiveness or unselfishness. His intangibles are truly elite, so while he may not have totally ideal size or ball skills, he’s extremely hard to bet against.
How Smith will fit at Arkansas
Acuff is on a one-and-done track. He was the top-ranked point guard in high school basketball a year ago, looks like he could be the SEC Player of the Year this season and challenge for a spot in the lottery of June’s NBA Draft.
There was only one player in high school basketball who had a chance to replace him, and that’s Smith.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Smith is exactly the same type of player as Acuff and that’s why the roster construction around him will be important.
Acuff is a true lead guard who operates with the ball in his hand and is the first domino in the vast majority of the offensive possessions he’s on the court floor. Smith is capable of playing that role, but he can also slide off the ball. In fact, one thing that distinguishes Smith is the multitude of ways he can impact the game without having to have the ball in his hands. Even defensively, he should be one of the most college-ready freshmen in the country next season.
With a wide open 2027 NBA Draft in mind, Smith and his representation are undoubtedly looking for plenty of on-ball volume. Simultaneously, though, Smith would be ideally suited next to other guards that can share those ball-handling responsibilities and provide some additional shot-making.
If DJ Wagner and Meleek Thomas were to return for the 2026-27 season, that would check both of those boxes. Wagner doesn’t have much NBA buzz at this point, so a senior season should be probable. Thomas is likely to test the waters, but could find a return to college as a fringe first-rounder with a chance to help his stock as more of a focal point next season. If either of those depart, then Arkansas will need another impact guard out of the portal.
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