Jordan Smith Jr. is making college coaches nervous. The five-star guard from Paul VI Catholic scored 40 points at the City of Palms Classic, which reminded everyone why Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, and three other big schools are trying to get him to commit. With that, the second-best senior in the country has finally said when he will make his choice.

Post scoring an amazing 40 points at the City of Palms Classic, Smith made his recruitment timeline clear. When asked about his commitment window, he said, “February to April.” He takes a methodical approach because he wants to evaluate programs in the middle of their seasons. “It’s cool to see how teams do at the beginning of the year, but it would be better for me to see how they move or how they operate in the January, February range,” Smith explained.

This patient strategy makes sense for a prospect who is ranked as the second-best senior in the country via 247Sports Composite. The middle of the season shows how coaching staffs deal with problems, change rotations, and develop talent under pressure. These are all very important things for a player like Smith to think about when choosing a college.

Besides recruiting, Smith is very focused on improving certain parts of his game. He said that his main goal for improvement was “my consistency in my three-point shot.” This focus is interesting for a player who is already known as the best defender in the 2026 cycle. If he got better at shooting from the outside, he would be a complete two-way threat and could even move up to the top spot in the country.

Smith’s dedication to getting better was clear in the City of Palms Classic opener against Garfield Heights. He scored 40 points on 16-of-25 shooting in about 23 minutes of play, along with five assists, four rebounds, and three steals, helping St. Paul VI win 93-60. The performance showed exactly why so many college basketball programs are fighting hard for his services and why his decision from February to April will be one of the most eagerly awaited commitments of the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Glenn Farello made a bold prediction about Jordan Smith Jr.

Smith didn’t just score against Garfield Heights; he ran the whole show. He ran the offense, shut down defenders, and played with the kind of confidence that makes great players stand out from the rest.

Glenn Farello has coached top talent at Paul VI for 20 years, but he didn’t think twice about what he said about Smith. Farello said after the 93-60 win, “That is going to be the easiest question anyone asks me here. He’s the best. And I say that with all due respect to every single player that’s played for me and the amazing talent that we’ve had.”

That’s not just what the coach says. When Smith was a freshman, Farello promised him something, and now he has seen it come true.

Top Stories

Chiefs Announce Relocation From Missouri to Kansas to Build New Stadium

Is Philip Rivers Catholic or Mormon? Religion, Ethnicity & More About Colts QB

Kansas City Mayor Sends Strong Message to Clark Hunt After Chiefs Confirm Arrowhead Exit

LIV Golf Issues Statement as Pro Announces Shock Retirement After Getting Relegated

DK Metcalf Awaits Huge Punishment From NFL After Controversial Incident vs Detroit Lions

Another Almost Fatal Disaster Surfaces From Statesville Airport Amidst Ongoing Greg Biffle’s Crash Investigation

“Jordan Smith Jr. was told when he was a freshman, he will be the best player that I’ve ever coached. I told him that and his family, because I knew he could be hungry, humble enough to handle it, and then he’d be hungry enough to make sure I was right, and he has proven that,” he said.

Smith has made his bold words come true four years later. He’s now an elite defender, an explosive scorer, and a floor general all in one.