In one of the richest talent pools of any NBA Draft in recent memory, Dallas Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. could wind up as the 2018 Rookie of the Year by the end of the upcoming season, according to a longtime NBA scout. The No. 9 overall selection in the draft was speculated to be a dark horse talent with lottery-like talent that surely didn't slip past the Mavs.
One long-time NBA scout said he believes Mavericks guard Dennis Smith will be the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 9, 2017
Smith has impressed not only his teammates and coaches, but many others around the league with his jack-of-all-trades play style, showing up everywhere on the floor.
In Sunday's Summer League game against the Phoenix Suns, not only did Smith outplay forward Josh Jackson, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, but also led all scorers with 25 points, along with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and a must-see chase-down rejection that spoke volumes of his all-out effort on the court.
Smith presents a Kyle-Lowry-like skill set, one that can polish up to All-Star caliber within a few seasons, thanks to the starting point guard vacancy that could be his if he proves apt during the next couple of months.
Equipped with an innate scoring talent and excellent defensive instincts, the biggest area of improvement will be for him to control his pace and speed on the court and use those to his advantage, now in a much more cerebral league than the NCAA.
As a starter, Smith could very well rack up big numbers with his ability to get to the basket thanks to his NBA-ready physique at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds.
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