Dennis Smith Jr. gives Mavericks a powerful and explosive point guard

The Mavericks have plenty to be excited about after selecting Dennis Smith Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Smith stands at 6’2 and is a point guard who can play above the rim. His explosiveness and athleticism is what sets him apart from the rest of the pack, which is even more impressive considering he’s coming off a torn ACL in 2015.

In a draft that has been guard-heavy, Smith still holds his own after having an incredible freshman year at NC State. Smith was named Freshman of the Year in the ACC as well as ACC Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals.

The biggest moment of Smith’s college career came on a 32-point night at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a win against Duke. It was NC State’s first win there since 1995 and a moment that proved how dominant Smith can be on the floor.

Smith’s athleticism is easily his best attribute. He has the quickness that guards need in the modern NBA, especially the ability to drive the lane and attack the basket. Whether he creates his own shot at that point or creates for a teammate, this is where Smith is at his best. His strong frame also allows him to finish easily, which you can see in the following play.

If you want to make comparisons to current guards in the league, his athletic abilities are similar to that of John Wall and Russell Westbrook. The difference is his height and length. Wall and Westbrook each have at least a 6’7 wingspan. Smith’s maxes out at about 6’3.

That said, Smith has a quick first step and can finish strong near the basket, which is as important as ever in the NBA today.

Smith was one of only two players in Division I this year to have two triple-doubles. In fact, he was the first player in ACC history to have two triple-doubles in a season against conference opponents. His first of the season was a 27-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist outing against Virginia Tech. He also put up 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists against Syracuse.

He can score on his own from the inside and outside as well as create for his teammates. According to Draft Express, he averaged 6.8 assists per-40 pace adjusted, which ranked fourth best in their Top 100. He’s a strong guard who can drive to the basket with his quickness and from there can continue to create options for the offense. He should be able to really thrive when he is surrounded by more three-point shooters in the NBA, which wasn’t the case for him in college.

His inconsistency. When Smith is at his best, he’s an terrific player, but his ups and downs on the court make it tough to count on him as reliable. When it falls, he can be unstoppable at times, but had nine games last season where he did not hit one three-pointer.

As a point guard, he’ll need to continue to work on his ability to be a vocal floor leader, something that wasn’t seen much at NC State. His actions and body language will go a long way in the NBA.

Johnson tore his ACL at Adidas Nations in August just before the start of his senior year of high school. He decided to enroll at NC State early to continue rehab there as well as give him the opportunity to be around the team every day.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Smith was a little-used bench player as a freshman in high school before emerging as a star.