LAS VEGAS ā Arkansas had just returned to its locker room after knocking out defending national champion and West Region No. 1 seed Kansas 72-71 on Saturday when Nick Smith Jr. could no longer control his emotions.
He sat at his locker as the tears flowed and teammates consoled him, the video taking off on social media.
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Smith said he was overjoyed by the victory and the chance to play in the Sweet 16, but losing so much time this season to knee injuries and what he missed out on with his teammates hit him hard.
āOnce I got (the crying) out of the way, I celebrated with my guys at the crib,ā Smith said Wednesday, a day ahead of No. 8 seed Arkansas' game against fourth-seeded UConn in the NCAA Tournament's West Region semifinals. āI moved on to the next. At the end of the day, people in my circle know who I am. People that I talk to every day know who I am.ā
Smith, a potential NBA lottery pick, has faced high expectations since signing with the Razorbacks. The 6-foot-5 freshman guard was the USA Today Boys Basketball Player of the Year and 247Sportsā top prospect.
But he missed the first six games this season to injury, averaged 12.8 points in five games and then sat out from mid-December until nearly mid-February.
Smith returned to score more than 20 points three times over a four-game span and entered the NCAA Tournament averaging 14 points.
Then came March Madness, and Arkansas' most notable recruit in 30 years didn't meet the moment.
Smith made just 2 of 10 shots and scored six points in the first round against Illinois, and then against Kansas, he took four shots and did not score. Coach Eric Musselman, understanding the urgency and decreased margin for error in the single-elimination tournament, reduced Smithās playing time from 28 minutes in the opener to 17 in the second round.
āNickās one of the most talented players in the country, and heās had some big games for us,ā Musselman said. āHeās been in a tough situation, in and out of the lineup with injuries. Itās not easy for any player to do, let alone when a teamās on a tournament run.ā
Musselman said he was hopeful Smith would turn it around, but itās clear any playing time will be earned.
āWe know how he feels to be in a position heās in and have all the pressure that everybodyās putting on him,ā said Arkansas guard Davonte Davis, a childhood friend of Smith's. āFor him to come back, thatās amazing. Heās a young man that a lot of people canāt faze, and itās tough to be in his world today to be able to take on the things heās taking on.ā
Smith downplayed the notion that he got emotional after the win over Kansas because he wasn't as big a part of that victory as he'd hoped.
As the video showed, Smith didn't lose the locker room. His teammates were there quickly to make sure he knew he wasn't alone.
āWe know who he is as a player,ā forward Kamani Johnson said. āHe knows who he is as a player. We donāt have to give him too much encouragement. Heās a dog, we know heās a dog, and we know what he can do.ā
Smith said he hasn't spoken with his coach about possibly getting more minutes against UConn and, should the Razorbacks advance, against UCLA or Gonzaga on Saturday for the right to go to the Final Four.
āMy story's not over,ā Smith said. āI've got to keep going and keep pushing through, hoping we can get a win.ā
Winning in an Arkansas uniform is especially meaningful for Smith, who is from the Little Rock area. He is considered the program's best recruit since Corliss Williamson, another Arkansas native who led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national championship before going on to a 12-year NBA career.
āThis experience of the Sweet 16 ā and I haven't played the game yet ā has been amazing,ā Smith said. āWhen we landed in Vegas, it really doesn't get much better than this. We've got another opportunity to play, and that's why I came here to play basketball.ā
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AP March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25