Austin Poll

Dennis Smith Jr. will win rookie of the year because of his ability to score on offense and is
one of the most athletic players in the NBA.

Smith came out of North Carolina State as a freshman. The 19-year-old was taken with the
ninth overall pick in this years NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks and many people are
already considering him one of the biggest steals of the draft. According to a survey
NBA.com conducted with 39 rookies at the annual rookie photo shoot at the Knicks
practice facility in August, Smiths fellow rookies voted him as one of the biggest steals in
this years class.

At NC State, Smith played 34.8 minutes per game and averaged 18.1 points per game, 4.6
rebounds per game, 6.2 assists per game (ranked third among players drafted) and 1.94
steals per game (ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season) while
shooting 46% from the field. Additionally, he recorded four double doubles and led the
nation in triple doubles while in college.

Smith grew up in a single-parent household with his father, Dennis Sr. Growing up with just
his father helped shaped who Smith is today.

He (Smiths father) basically put me in this position to have the life that I have now, Smith
said. Ive got to appreciate being Dennis Smith Jr. It means a lot.

Smith had quite a story to get to where he is today. He tore his ACL that cost him his senior
season at Trinity Christian School and many people thought he would not be the same.
They were completely wrong. He was seen dunking two weeks after his surgery. Smith said
his vertical increased by eight inches since he tore his ACL and is still working to improve
his leaping ability.

Over the summer, Smith was in Los Angeles doing a pre-draft workout with the Lakers.
There, they tested out his vertical and he measured at 48 inches, which tied an NBA record
with Wilt Chamberlain and Darrell Griffith.

According to NBA.com, Smiths rookie counterparts voted him by far the most athletic
player in this years rookie class. If you watch his highlights, he is constantly running
around the court without showing signs of slowing down. He makes plays with his speed
and produces some of the most memorable dunks youll see.

Smith played all but 167 minutes in games he played in while at NC State. He did not get
much rest in games, but playing all those minutes helped boost his stamina and made him
what he is today, an endured high-flying athlete.

He is use to being the focal point and leader of offenses. Even though NC State went 16-17,
Smith was still able to lead the team to a very impressive victory over Duke. He is a born
leader and has the ability to be a leader throughout his time in the NBA.
Smith is already listed as the starting point guard on the Mavericks depth chart and is
expected to get a lot of playing time compared to other point guards on the roster.

Smith has a chance to shine in Rick Carlisles offense. Him and Dirk Nowitzki can develop
some very solid pick and roll action. Nowitzkis ability to set screens and hit the open
jumper may lead to many assists for Smith. Also, Smiths athletic ability gives him a chance
to get to the rim with ease when bigger defenders decide to switch on him.

Smith can also make shots when given the opportunity. He is a much-improved shooter. He
shot 39 percent from down town and made 50 percent of his two-point shots. Smith is
great at creating his own shot because of his speed and ball handling skills. The skills he has
on offense gives him a good chance to lead all rookies in scoring.

He is also really good at getting to the rim and getting fouled. He shot 71.5 percent from the
line at NC State. That is what helps Smith be such a threat on offense.

There is one more thing I would like to throw in, according to NBA.com, even the other
rookies in this draft class voted Smith most likely to be rookie of the year over Lonzo Ball,
Markelle Fultz and other top rookies.