Will Smith was selected by the San Jose Sharks with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Less than a year later, Smith signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks on May 28, 2024, and began his rookie season in the NHL. He scored his first two NHL goals to help the Sharks defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 at SAP Center on Oct. 31. At 19 years and 228 days, Smith became the youngest United States-born player to score multiple goals in a game since Cole Sillinger had a hat trick for the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 13, 2022 (18 years, 301 days) and the youngest player in Sharks history to do so since Patrick Marleau on March 17, 1999 (19 years, 183 days).

Smith had a goal and three assists in an 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Wild on April 9, 2025. Macklin Celebrini had three goals and two assists to make the Sharks the first team since the 1988-89 New York Rangers (Brian Leetch and Tony Granato on Oct. 30, 1988) to feature two rookies with four points in the same game.

Smith also helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship with nine points (five goals, four assists) in seven games. He led NCAA Division I players with 71 points (25 goals, 41 assists) in 41 games as a freshman at Boston College. He was a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's Division I player and set a school record for most points by a freshman.