Dallas Mavericks prized No. 9 overall selection Dennis Smith Jr. was voted as the top candidate to earn Rookie of the Year honors in Tuesday's 2017-18 NBA rookie survey. Smith (25.7 percent) edged top-two picks Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers (20 percent) and Markelle Fultz of the Philadelphia 76ers (17.1 percent) for the award's consideration, leaving behind the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons.

Smith has been known as one of the dark horse candidates to take the league by storm this upcoming season due to his unparalleled athletic ability and innate scoring instinct.

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Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has some great point guard coaches molding him at the position and will expect him to carry his end of the bargain at the defensive end as he competes for the starting spot against G League standout Yogi Ferrell.

The North Carolina State freshman standout was also voted most athletic in this year's draft class, taking 43.6 percent of all votes — a vast lead over Terrance Ferguson of the Oklahoma City Thunder (12.8 percent) and John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks (10.4 percent).