Arkansas star freshman Nick Smith Jr., the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class and a projected NBA lottery pick in 2023, is out indefinitely due to "right knee management," according to the school.

Smith, who emerged in December as one of the most productive players in college basketball, missed the first six games of the season for the same reason. He averaged 19.7 points per game in a three-game stretch to open the month of December. Still, he showed discomfort and checked himself out of the game early vs. Oklahoma on Dec. 10 and left Saturday's game vs. Bradley in the second half in apparent discomfort. It's unclear if he is dealing with a new injury or if it's an aggravation of the same injury that has plagued him this year.

Arkansas coach Eric Musselman tried to quell fears of a potentially serious injury after the Bradley game, saying emphatically "no" postgame — three times in rapid succession — when asked if Smith had suffered a serious injury.