Eric Musselman sounds optimistic about Nick Smith Jr’s injury status: “He’s out indefinitely”

Nick Smith Jr. was expected to be one of the top players in college basketball this season. However, the Arkansas Razorbacks will have to wait patiently to get their talented floor general back.

Arkansas announced that Smith is out indefinitely for what the team is calling "right knee management." The talented freshman missed the first six games of the year while dealing with the same knee issue. As of now, the school is calling it precautionary.

Smith came into the season as one of college basketball's top prospects and is projected to be a potential top five selection in the 2023 NBA draft. Listed at 6-foot-5, Smith showed flashes of his upside already this season.

After making his debut in limited minutes, Smith was inserted into the starting lineup. Over the course of the next three games, he averaged 19.7 points and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 45.5%.

Speaking to the media after Wednesday night's 85-51 win over UNC Asheville, coach Eric Musselman shared an update on Smith's status. Musselman stressed that the team wants Smith to get healthy but that he's "out indefinitely."

"Nick is a competitor, and he looked forward to playing for the Razorbacks," Musselman said. "He's kind of been in and out of the lineup or whatever. We just want him to get healthy as quick as possible and to be 100%. ... He's out indefinitely, and that's what it is."

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Arkansas star freshman Nick Smith Jr. out indefinitely

Arkansas Razorbacks freshman guard Nick Smith Jr.

Arkansas Razorbacks freshman Nick Smith Jr. came into this season with a lot of hype. Ranked third in ESPN's high school basketball rankings, Smith has the tools to be a dynamic guard.

Smith, named the USA Today Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American as a senior, has the upside to be a three-level scoring weapon at the NBA level. He's smooth with the ball in his hands and can be lethal in the open court. One of Smith's best performances came in an 88-78 win over Oklahoma on Dec. 10, finishing with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting.

The Razorbacks (11-1), who are ranked 10th, came into the year as a potential national championship contender. They landed the best recruiting class in school history, ranked No. 2 nationally. With Smith out of the lineup, they will have to buckle up, especially with conference play getting underway. Arkansas opens Southeastern Conference play at LSU next Wednesday.