Former NC State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. declared for the 2017 NBA Draft on March 28 after completing his freshman season; a smart move considering he led the Pack in scoring with 18.1 PPG and assists with 6.2 APG.
The ACC Freshman of the Year’s future in the NBA became clearer on Tuesday as the NBA lottery picks were set. The teams holding the top ten picks are as follows: Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings (via trade).
The general consensus among NBA mock draft experts is that Smith will be selected within the top-10 spots on June 22. However, since the Wolfpack stumbled to a horrendous 15-17 record, resulting in the firing of former head coach Mark Gottfried, Smith struggled to gain recognition on a national stage.
The lack of media attention on Smith coupled with the increased publicity in the NCAA Tournament for point guards Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox has definitely affected Smith’s draft stock… but NBA scouts haven’t forgotten the Fayetteville, North Carolina native’s explosiveness and acrobatic skills around the rim.
Here are the likely landing spots for the high-flying point guard, who should become the highest-drafted NC State player since 1992:
Sacramento Kings, Pick No. 5
At No. 5, the Kings are in desperate need of a point guard and will look to select Smith or Kentucky’s Fox. In the middle of the college basketball season, Smith would have been the obvious pick, but Fox’s stock has risen due to his impressive postseason play.
Fox has jumped Smith on many draft boards based upon his 39-point outburst in the Wildcats’ 86-75 win over Ball and UCLA. Fox has also drawn impressive comparisons to former Wildcat guard and Raleigh native John Wall, further increasing the hype.
Sacramento’s pick will simply boil down to the point guard it prefers here as the Kings aim to put the pieces together with a strong offensive nucleus.
Orlando Magic, Pick No. 6
Orlando currently has point guard Elfrid Payton running the show, but Payton has struggled to become the playmaker the Magic desires. The Magic need a player that can control the pace of the offense, and Smith is best with the ball in his hands.
If Payton is still in the picture, Smith has the flexibility to play the two. Orlando could utilize someone who is as creative as Smith, especially in isolation situations. Smith could inject the Magic with the necessary jolt and energy the franchise needs.
However, Orlando might not be ready to give up on Payton and may choose someone who can shoot lights-out and go with Kentucky shooting guard Malik Monk. Monk’s scoring ability paired with Payton and power forward Aaron Gordon could be a more enticing choice at No. 6.
New York Knicks, Pick No. 8
The Derrick Rose experiment failed miserably for New York this year, and the Knicks would be lucky to have Smith fall in their laps at No. 8 after falling back a spot in the lottery.
A franchise in turmoil with a washed-out Rose, an aging small forward in Carmelo Anthony and a budding star in power forward Kristaps Porzingis could use a youth movement in drafting Smith. Smith and fellow freak-athlete Porzingis would become the pieces to build the franchise around as Anthony ages.
Smith would be the best-available pick for the Knicks, but the next point guard on the board is France’s Frank Ntilikina. Ntilikina is a viable option at No. 8 and Smith could fall yet another spot.
Dallas Mavericks, Pick No. 9
Point guard has long been a position of need for the Mavericks, and Dallas would gladly take Smith if he were to fall all the way to nine.
Yogi Ferrell came out of nowhere and exceeded everyone’s expectations for Dallas this year, but the Mavericks could use a floor general of Smith’s talent level. In Dallas, Smith would facilitate the transition into the post-Dirk Nowitzki era alongside the likes of power forward Nerlens Noel, small forward Harrison Barnes and sharpshooter Wesley Matthews.
Smith falling all the way to No. 9 might be disappointing for him, but it could be a blessing in disguise for the 19-year-old. The Mavericks are a successful franchise that has only missed the playoffs twice in the past 17 years, with successful owner Mark Cuban in the front office and established coach Rick Carlisle at the helm.
