Arkansas freshman Jordan Smith Jr. has landed on the 2026-27 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List, putting him among 50 candidates announced by the Naismith Awards and Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Smith is one of only five freshmen on the list, a notable start for a player who already arrived in Fayetteville with major hardware. He earned the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Award last season, and that recognition now carries over to the college stage.
His résumé from the prep ranks was loaded. Smith was the consensus National High School Player of the Year last season, earned McDonald’s All-American honors, played in the Nike Hoops Summit and the Jordan Brand Classic, and was named a first team All-American by MaxPreps, USA Today, Sporting News and Naismith Awards.
Arkansas has had recent familiarity with the Naismith spotlight. Last year, Razorback Darius Acuff Jr. was a finalist for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Award. The source also noted other Calipari players who have been recognized by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, including 1996 winner Marcus Camby at UMass, 2012 winner Anthony Davis at Kentucky, 2022 winner Oscar Tshiebwe at Kentucky, 2016 finalist Tyler Ulis at Kentucky and 2015 finalist Willie Cauley-Stein at Kentucky.
The Razorbacks open the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, Nov. 3, against UAPB at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 pm, the game will air on SEC Network+, and it will be the first meeting between Arkansas and the Golden Lions.
The full 2027 Naismith Awards Player of the Year Watch List includes: Amari Allen, Sophomore, Alabama; Flory Bidunga, Junior, Louisville; John Blackwell, Senior, Duke; Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Freshman, Duke; Elliot Cadeau, Senior, Michigan; Rueben Chinyelu, Senior, Florida; Alex Condon, Senior, Florida; Jason Crowe Jr., Freshman, Missouri; Thijs De Ridder, Sophomore, Virginia; Silas Demary Jr., Senior, UConn; Mason Falslev, Senior, Utah State; Jeremy Fears Jr., Junior, Michigan State; PJ Haggerty, Senior, Texas A&M; Juke Harris, Junior, Tennessee; Thomas Haugh, Senior, Florida; Shelton Henderson, Sophomore, Miami; Aden Holloway, Senior, Alabama; Caleb Holt, Freshman, Arizona; Josh Hubbard, Senior, Mississippi State; Braden Huff, Senior, Gonzaga; Tomislav Ivišić, Senior, Illinois; Nigel James Jr, Sophomore, Marquette; Trey Kaufman-Renn, Senior, Kansas; Ivan Kharchenkov, Sophomore, Arizona; Motiejus Krivas, Senior, Arizona; Acaden Lewis, Sophomore, Miami; Tamin Lipsey, Senior, Iowa State; Trey McKenney, Sophomore, Michigan; David Mirković, Sophomore, Illinois; John Mobley Jr., Junior, Ohio State; Milan Momcilovic, Senior, Kentucky; Braylon Mullins, Sophomore, UConn; Paulius Murauskas, Senior, Arizona State; Patrick Ngongba II, Junior, Duke; Tahaad Pettiford, Junior, Auburn; David Punch, Junior, Texas; Malik Reneau, Senior, Miami; Rodney Rice, Senior, USC; Pryce Sandfort, Senior, Nebraska; Jackson Shelstad, Senior, Louisville; Jordan Smith Jr., Freshman, Arkansas; Andrej Stojaković, Senior, Illinois; Tyran Stokes, Freshman, Kansas; Tyler Tanner, Junior, Vanderbilt; JT Toppin, Senior, Texas Tech; Joseph Tugler, Senior, Houston; Matas Vokietaitis, Junior, Texas; Nolan Winter, Senior, Wisconsin; Robert Wright III, Junior, BYU; Tounde Yessoufou, Sophomore, St. John’s.
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Which Arkansas Freshmen Look Ready To Help Right Away
John Calipari is leaning into the reality of what Arkansas has in front of it: a roster built around youth, with eight freshmen trying to find their footing in one of the toughest leagues in the country. Among the newcomers are a 7-foot-1 Australian big man and 17-year-old Davion Thompson, and the early focus has been less on instant polish than on figuring out which pieces can help now while the rest of the group develops.
Calipari has been clear that the adjustment is about more than talent. Thompson, in particular, is still learning how to fit into the system and play within the teams structure, which is part of the broader challenge for a young Arkansas group trying to grow up quickly. The coachs outlook remains cautious, and for now the most interesting question is not just how much these freshmen can contribute, but how soon they can settle into roles that actually translate in SEC play. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Faces A Troubling Auburn Trend At The Worst Time
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Alex Golesh and Ryan Silverfield both spent time this week framing the game through their own teams lens, with Auburn trying to build on its season and Arkansas looking for answers on that side of the ball. For the Razorbacks, the bigger concern is not just the history of the matchup but the timing of it, because this is the kind of trend that can become a real problem if it keeps rolling in the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Opened The Musick Era With A Statement Fans Will Notice
A new era in Arkansas womens basketball began with a jolt, and it was hard to miss what Kelsi Musicks team looked like in its opener. The Razorbacks rolled past New Orleans 127-48, setting a program record for points in a game while also turning in a defensive effort that produced 51 turnovers. It was the kind of start that immediately puts a marker on a new coaching tenure, especially when the performance comes with the sort of balance and discipline Musick and her players emphasized afterward.
The challenge now is making sure the first night was not just a one-off burst of energy against an overmatched opponent. Arkansas gets Northwestern State next, and the early test for Musick is whether the Razorbacks can carry that same complete approach into a game that should ask a little more of them. For a fan base looking for signs of what this team can become, the opener offered plenty to like, but the next step will say even more. [Read more 🡒]