With the ninth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Dennis Smith Jr.
A plethora of options were discussed internally by the Mavericks’ front office, and they finally came to the conclusion on snagging the athletic guard from North Carolina State. Sure, there were the popular names like Markelle Fultz, De’Aaron Fox, and who could forget Lonzo Ball. Is it possible that one of the overlooked names that should be in the discussion of top players available is Smith? He stands at a little over 6’2, which is about standard for the every day point guard, but it’s his build and athleticism that has grabbed the attention of many scouts throughout the league.
Wake up with Dennis Smith jr’s mixture of athleticism and explosiveness pic.twitter.com/5ySQ0AJcEM
— EZ Draft by Rotoden (@RotodenDraft) May 29, 2017
He has the ability to use his athleticim to his advantage, especially on the offensive end of the floor. His jumper showed improvement on the college level, which only makes him that more dangerous. I’ve seen him compared to players like Steve Francis and Russell Westbrook.
The biggest knock on Smith from the scouts was his demeanor on the floor and some questioned him as a leader. He played for a team in NC State that went 15-17 last season, so while some might find the demeanor a blip on the radar, we shouldn’t assume he will take that stance in the pros.
He will immediately fill the void at the starting point guard slot, and serve as another building block for the future, along with Harrison Barnes, Seth Curry, and for now, Wes Matthews.
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