When your name is Will Smith, you should probably be prepared to be asked to sing the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song wherever you are.
Even if that’s sitting on camera at the NHL draft.
The NHL prospect with that name, taken fourth by the San Jose Sharks, steered into the skid as he walked to the stage to the “Fresh Prince” theme after hearing his name called in Wednesday’s draft.
“I feel like I’ve got to add to the name,” Smith told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan when asked about the choice of song.
“I’m trying to own it and I love the song, too.”
After he was picked, Kaplan asked him to sing his own rendition live on the draft broadcast.
“Right now on camera?” Smith asked with a nervous grin.
“Why not? It’s ESPN. Let’s go,” Kaplan responded.
That’s when the fourth overall pick laughed and sang the first few lines of the beloved tune from the 1990s sitcom.
Smith was expected to be selected in the top five of this year’s draft, and the Sharks made that a reality with their first pick in Nashville.
San Jose gets a player who is touted for his strong vision and hockey sense.
Smith will play next season for Boston College after coming off an impressive season with the U.S. National Under-18 Team, where he had 127 points (51 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games.
He also recorded 20 points in seven games during the U18 Men’s World Championships and helped the United States win their first gold medal at the tournament since 2017.
Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli were all selected before Smith was selected with the No. 4 pick.
The selection represented the highest pick the Sharks had made since they had the third overall pick in 1998.