Even before declaring for last June’s draft, Dennis Smith Jr. was already a highly touted prospect as he’s had a steller stint at NC State. Many even gave him comparisons to Russell Westbrook for his explosiveness, and the way he finishes at the basket with a lot of force. He recently proved just that with a head-turning pregame warmup.
As the Dallas Mavericks were making their round robins, the incoming rookie showed off his mad hops, as he threw down a vicious dunk worthy of the Slam Dunk contest. He jumped high before double-clutching the ball and finishing with his back behind the rim.
Dennis Smith Jr. 😳
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/cMO7Jjlqf3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 3, 2017
It’s certainly not the first time that kind of dunk has been seen, but with how fast Smith did it as well as making it look easy, it added to its flare and awe of the fans inside the arena. It also makes his debut this coming season even more highly anticipated, as he will definitely bring a lot of excitement to the Mavs’ games.
If he can continue his impressive play throughout next season, Smith will not only get the chance to receive a lot of minutes from head coach Rick Carlisle, but he could also establish himself as a future star of the league, and a dark horse for the Rookie of the Year Award as well. More importantly, he will give the Mavericks a cornerstone for their coming years, and someone they could build around on.