HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER PROFILE (DENNIS SMITH JR.)

DENNIS SMITH JR.

#4 RANKED PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY (CLASS OF 2016)

STAR RANKING: 5 STARS

HEIGHT: 6’2″

WEIGHT: 180 POUNDS

AGE: 18 YEARS OLD

POSITION: POINT GUARD

HIGH SCHOOL: TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (FAYETTEVILLE, NC)

COLLEGE CHOICE: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

NBA COMPARISON: Kyrie Irving/Steve Francis in his prime

CHOSE NC STATE OVER: DUKE, NORTH CAROLINA, KENTUCKY, LOUISVILLE, WAKE FOREST AMONG MANY OTHER OFFERS

PLAYER SYNOPSIS: Smith is the number 1 ranked point guard in the class of 2016. He spurned offers from all the top major programs and committed to NC State and Head Coach Mark Gottfried. He is possibly the highest profile and most talented recruit for the Wolfpack in decades. Unfortunately for Smith he tore the ACL in his left knee during the AAU circuit in the summer and will miss his senior year. He made the decision to enroll at NC State in January. Hopefully this will help him repair his knee quicker since he will be acclimated to the advance weight-training and rehab that college programs have.

When healthy Smith is a super quick, explosive point guard. From watching his game films, Smith’s ball-handling puts him on another level among the high school point guards. He has plenty more to offer, however. The 6’2″ 18-year old can really shoot the ball for his age. Step-backs, mid-range jumpers, and long distance 3-pointers are all part of his offensive repertoire. He will be perhaps the most explosive point guard to come into college in the last few years.

Smith doesn’t appear to have any major weaknesses in his game. It is unusual for a young point guard to have such a well-rounded, complete game. The only thing that is holding Smith back is the torn ACL. I believe he made a very smart decision by enrolling early. If he can fully recover 100 percent, Smith won’t be at NC State long. Of all the players I have watched on television and/or seen through multiple videos, he is perhaps the most impressive. The potential is there for Dennis Smith to have a huge impact on the ACC Conference next season. It would not surprise me at all if he enters the 2017 NBA Draft and becomes a top 5-10 pick, maybe even higher. He has that type of talent. Wolfpack fans will enjoy him next year.