Smith returning to NC State instead of staying in NBA draft

North Carolina State guard Terquavion Smith (0) keeps the ball away from Louisville guard Noah Locke (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (Timothy D. Easley/AP)

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina State guard Terquavion Smith is returning for his sophomore season after going through the NBA draft process.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore participated in the league draft combine in Chicago earlier this month and was considered a potential first-round prospect. But Smith posted a video to social media Tuesday announcing his plan to return, saying: “The job's not done. Let's get to work.”

ESPN, which first reported Smith's decision, had Smith ranked 22nd among draft prospects after he averaged 16.3 points and shot 37% from 3-point range. He was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in freshman scoring behind only Duke's Paolo Banchero, a candidate to go No. 1 overall.

Smith's biggest game had him scoring 34 points in a loss at rival North Carolina in January, marking the No. 2 total by a freshman in program history.

N.C. State is still awaiting a decision from 6-7 sophomore wing and leading scorer Dereon Seabron, who also participated in the draft combine. Players have until the NCAA's deadline Wednesday night to decide whether they're returning to school or staying in the draft.

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