Heading into last month’s draft, many were projecting former NC State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. to be a top-five pick. However, he wasn’t chosen early until he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks, who felt very fortunate to still see him available at the ninth overall selection.
In the Summer League, the 19-year-old has impressed a lot of fans with his explosive game. He even has some highlight reel plays that have gotten the attention of basketball fans around the world. A number of scouts are also raving about this selection by the Mavs, with one even giving Smith the highest of compliments, via Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.
“Smith has looked great in summer league, but he's a Hall of Fame pickup player. Summer league is pickup.”
Smith’s efforts this summer have not gone unnoticed, as he is now being thought of as a dark horse to win the Rookie of the Year award. He has helped the Mavs to a 5-0 win-loss slate, and are looking to win the tournament in Las Vegas.
Although it’s still too early to predict who the favorites are for the prestigious award, one thing that could work in Smith’s favor is his ideal situation with his team. Even with some veteran point guards in their lineup, he is still poised to receive a lot of playing time as the team is invested in his talent already.
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