Although he was projected to be a top five pick in last June’s draft, Dennis Smith Jr. slid down to number 10, and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks. The team felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to add him to their fold, especially with their need for a point guard as skilled as the former NC State star.

It’s no secret that the Mavs think very highly of him, including their owner, Mark Cuban. He only has good words to say about him, and recently claimed that he is the fastest player in the NBA today. The 59-year-old billionaire then added that nobody even comes close to how quick he moves on the court.

Smith had a successful stint in the NCAA, and made a name for himself as a point guard who can thrive on both ends of the floor. In 32 games for the Wolfpack, he averaged very impressive all around numbers of 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.9 steals in 34.8 minutes per game, establishing himself as one of highly touted prospects in his class.

Now with the Mavericks, he will immediately have the opportunity to play a huge role for the team. He is expected to receive a lot of playing time from head coach Rick Carlisle, and run the offense for them, while being backed up by the veteran playmakers of the team as well. Should he be able to live up to the hype in his rookie season, it will definitely be a huge boost to the Mavs, who are looking to compete for a playoff spot, and return to their glory days with Smith part of their future plans.