FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With less than two weeks to go before making his 2025-26 NBA regular season debut, a former Arkansas star player has found his shooting touch.
Sixth-year pro Isaiah Joe, one of the NBA’s most efficient three-point shooters spanning the previous three seasons, has caught fire from distance in his last two preseason outings.
Joe (6-foot-4 guard, Fort Smith native) had made only 1-of-10 on three-point shots in his first two preseason appearances, but he’s hit 6-of-9 combined beyond the arc in his last two contests.
That includes a 19-point outburst when Joe shot 5-of-8 from 3 and 4-of-5 at the free throw line in his Oklahoma City Thunder’s 122-116 home win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, Oct. 9.
Joe is coming off a career-best season in ’24-25, averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 41.2% from three in the regular season before helping OKC win the NBA Finals championship.
Also exceling in recent preseason games is former Arkansas star and third-year Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black.
In his two most-recent outings, Black averaged 10.5 points (includes a combined 3-of-6 shooting from three), 4.5 assists, and 2.0 rebounds.
Both were wins for the Magic, who are a perfect 3-0 so far in preseason games.
Former Arkansas star Stanley Umude (6-foot-6 wing, fourth-year pro in his first season with the San Antonio Spurs) had 13 points (4-of-7 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3, and 3-of-4 free throws) and two rebounds in a 134-130 overtime win over the Utah Jazz on Friday, Oct. 10.
Former Arkansas star big man and 11th-year pro Bobby Portis had a solid performance in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 117-11 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Nov. 9.
Portis started and had 11 points (4-of-8 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3, and 1-of-2 free throws), two rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in only 15 minutes.
Pro Hogs in Thurs nite NBA pre-szn action
-Isaiah Joe @zai_joe1 19p (5-8 3FGs & 4-5 FTs), 2r 1b 20m box +7 in OKC 122-116 W vs Hornets
-Bobby Portis @BPortistime 11p 2r 2b 1a 15m in Bucks 117-111 W vs Pistons
-Jaylin Williams @Jay_MWilliams_ 6p 5b 2r 1spic.twitter.com/rQOMw1zwV0 pic.twitter.com/kCCL6bpcWk
— Kevin McPherson (@ARHoopScoop) October 10, 2025
Moses Moody, the fifth-year Golden State Warriors guard and the first one-and-done in Razorbacks history, made the most noise among Pro Hogs last week while making his ’25-26 preseason debut on Sunday, Oct. 5, against the Western Conference rival Los Angelese Lakers.
Moody (6-foot-5 wing, Little Rock native) started for the Warriors and led with a game-high 19 points (7-of-9 field goals, including a white-hot 5-of-7 shooting from 3) and a game-high boxscore plus-21 in only 15 minutes in a 111-103 home win over the Lakers.
As a rookie in ’21-22 after being selected 14th overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, Moody helped Golden State win an NBA championship.
Now in his fifth campaign as a Warrior after playing mostly behind future Naismith Hall of Fame backcourt teammates, he’s finally projected to be a regular starter once the regular season gets underway later in October.
Last season, Moody started in 34 of the 74 games he played in, averaging career-highs in scoring (9.8 points per game), assists (1.3 per game), and minutes (22.3 per outing) while shooting a career-best from three-point range (126-of-337 for 37.4%).
Pro Hogs in Sunday pre-szn NBA action
-Moses Moody gm-high 19p (incl 5-7 from 3) & gm-high box +21 in 15m in GSW’s W vs. Lakers
-Jaylin Williams
17p (incl 5-8 from 3) & box +7 in OKC’s W @ Hornets
-Isaiah Joe 7p & box +12
-Nick Smith, Jr. 9p & box +2pic.twitter.com/qX8E3LsKrH
— Kevin McPherson (@ARHoopScoop) October 6, 2025
Here are how other Pro Hogs are faring in NBA preseason play …
• Jaylin Williams (6-foot-9 forward-center, Fort Smith native, fourth-year pro with the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder) has appeared in three preseason games, averaging 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.7 assists while totaling 9-of-22 from distance (40.9%).
• Nick Smith, Jr. (6-foot-3 guard, Jacksonville, Ark., native, third-year pro and now on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers) is averaging 7.3 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 rebound in 12.0 minutes while shooting 50.0% from the field, through three games.
• Daniel Gafford (6-foot-10 center, El Dorado native, seventh-year pro entering his third season with the Dallas Mavericks) has yet to play in the preseason.
• Jordan Walsh (6-foot-6 wing, third-year pro with the Boston Celtics, was on the active roster for the Celts’ ’23-24 NBA championship) made his preseason debut when Boston opened its preseason on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Oct. 8, finishing with two points, three rebounds, and one assist in eight minutes off the bench.
• Adou Thiero (6-foot-7 wing, rookie second-round draft pick with the Los Angeles Lakers) has not appeared in any of the Lakers’ preseason games as he has not yet been cleared to play (knee).