Two Golden Globes nominations with just his first steps in the industry, followed by a glass-breaking entry into the box office, succeeded by more than three years of unadulterated excellence in the film industry. Will Smith may only have one Oscar to hold close as the Academy punishes him, but the decades precedent of his excellence fall on the heavier side of the weighing scale. Therefore, in the kerfuffle that Hollywood is, it is unlikely that there will ever be another Will Smith. But that is not the case with hockey’s most prominent league, NHL.

The national hockey league boasting several talented players is now playing balls with Will Smith. Not the Philadelphian force of nature, but an eighteen-year-old Massachusetts hockey player. Hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, the youngster selected The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s intro as he walked the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

As Smith belted, “Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down,” Will Smith made strides across the stage. He was among San Jose Sharks’ top choices. However, the song choice and the weight of Will Smith’s name, as metaphorical as it may seem, were a natural selection. “I’m trying to own it, and I love the song, too,” said NHL’s Will Smith to ESPN.

This is not the first time that Will Smith’s name has been roped into the world of sports. The actor famously played ball with NBA legend Michael Jordan. It is not every day that a promising player has names matching with one of the biggest stars in the world. However, the 18-year-old has not said anything about being named after the actor.

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The miracle of the name and his impending bright future does not escape him either. And this Fresh Prince is all set to give the world another brilliant Will Smith with his hockey talent.

Is Will Smith the next big hockey player?

The eighteen-year-old has gotten himself a solid head start. Hailing from Boston College, he has set the bar high with 29 goals and 41 assists. No wonder San Jose Sharks welcomed him as one of their top choices. Now a member of a celebrated team, Will Smith is all set to hit the ball out of the park. Out of the realms of hockey, he has gotten people thinking that William Shakespeare really should have met him before he penned down “What’s in a name?”

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Did you know that there was a promising hockey talent by the name of Will Smith? Let us know in the comments below.