2026 5-star SG Jordan Smith Jr. hearing from 5 schools the most

Jordan Smith Jr., a five-star shooting guard in the 2026 class, says he is hearing from five schools the most frequently (in no particular order): Georgetown, Duke, Arkansas, Louisville, and Kansas. Each program has offered him a scholarship.

The 6-foot-3 junior out of Paul VI Catholic (VA) took an official visit to Duke in November. Louisville, Syracuse, and Georgetown have hosted him on unofficial visits.

In addition to the schools listed above, he also holds notable offers from Tennessee, Ohio State, Houston, Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, UConn, Kentucky, and others.

Smith is the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He’s also the No. 3 shooting guard prospect. The On3 Industry Ranking is a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Smith talks programs involved

In a previous interview with On3’s Jamie Shaw, Smith discussed several schools in pursuit of his talents.

LOUISVILLE: “I like that they’re trying to switch things up from what they were the last couple years. They got a new coach, and Coach (Pat) Kelsey is trying to to switch up their scheme and trying to play fast as much as possible.

”Watching them play, it looks like their scheme is working. They’re beating ranked teams and all, I’ve been impressed so far.”

SYRACUSE: “I learned a lot about them on my visit. At first, I was like, ‘ok, it’s Syracuse, cool,’ but when I went up there I was really surprised. They try to play fast. When I went to their practice, it was like a Team Takeover practice, so I was like, “ok.”

“They keep in consistent contact with me. You know, asking how I’m doing and checking in on me about my practices and games, and stuff like that. I’m pretty close with Syracuse, they’re like Takeover family.”

GEORGETOWN: “They’re trying to bring Georgetown back, and I really like that. They’re playing fast and my relationship with Coach (Ed) Cooley is really, really good.

“I’m seeing a big leap with them. In Coach’s first year, it wasn’t that good. But this year, I’m enjoying watching them play, they’re really opening my eyes.

DUKE: “My visit there was really fun. I got to see my former teammates Pat (Ngongba) and Darren (Harris). I got to spend a lot of time with them. I learned a lot from watching them play, and I learned a lot about myself too.

“Watching them play, they’re playing their freshmen a lot with Cooper (Flagg) and Isaiah (Evans). I’ve been really impressed with them so far.”

Smith’s On3 NIL Valuation worth over $600,000

Jordan Smith Jr. currently holds a $608,000 million On3 NIL Valuation, which ranks 29th in high school basketball.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.

The On3 NIL Valuation accounts for an athlete’s roster value and brand value. Roster value is the value an athlete has by being a member of his or her team at his or her school, which factors into the role of NIL collectives. Brand value factors in an athlete’s personal brand and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.