Dennis Smith Jr. is only 21 years old and playing in his second NBA season, yet the criticisms he has received defy the number of years his professional tenure suggests. It's weird to associate the term with someone so young, but Smith is enjoying a resurrection with the New York Knicks after being deemed as unusable by the Dallas Mavericks.

Several days have passed since the high-flying guard was included in the package for Kristaps Porzingis, but he only got a taste of his first win in a Knickerbocker jersey Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks. In his postgame interview, Smith emphasized his love for the city and team as he heads to the All-Star Weekend as a dunk contest participant.

The Knicks broke a franchise-worst losing skid by winning over the Hawks, 106-91. They still own the league's worst record. They're not going anywhere this season. However, the optimism surrounding the team has been uncharacteristically high.

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They're headed into the lottery and well on their way to having one of the best chances at landing a generational talent in Zion Williamson come NBA Draft. They will have plenty of cap space in the summer, enough to lure a couple of big-name stars.

As for Smith, he's averaging 16.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals through his first six games with the Knicks.