National Basketball Association

Who is Dennis Smith Jr.? Scouting report, bio, analysis of top NBA draft prospect

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, Scooby Axson/Sports Illustrated

North Carolina State freshman Dennis Smith is projected to be a possible top–10 NBA pick, less than two years after suffering a major knee injury in high school.

The 19-year-old Smith still showed up to Raleigh with lofty expectations and didn't disappoint, leading all freshman in the Atlantic Coast Conference in points. He also led the conference in assists and ranked second in steals. Smith was named the ACC newcomer and freshman of the year.

Those impressive stats didn't translate into wins, as the Wolfpack finished 15–17 and were blown out by 20 points five different times.

Smith has a chance to be the first top–10 pick out of NC State since Tom Gugliotta was selected with the No. 6 pick by the Washington Wizards in 1992 draft.

Stats: 18.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.2 APG, 35.9 3P%, 45.5 FG%

Bio: After being rated as a five-star recruit out of Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, N.C., Smith enrolled at NC State in January 2016 but didn't play that season while recovering from a torn ACL. He suited up for the Wolfpack in 2016-17 and quickly established himself as one of the ACC's best guards. Smith led NC State to a stunning road win over Duke in January and was named the conference's freshman of the year.

Strengths: Smith's most intriguing trait is his athleticism, and there's little doubt he's regained most, if not all, of the run-and-jump explosiveness that made him such a coveted high school prospect. (He reportedly recorded a 48-inch vertical leap at a workout with the Lakers earlier this month.) Smith is an adept scorer who does well creating offense off the dribble and shows major potential as a playmaker.

Weaknesses: The weakest point of Smith's game is his defensive intensity, although it's possible NC State's sluggish play overall contributed to his effort on that end of the floor. He also lacks favorable length for a lead guard. Smith's jumper isn't broken (he sank 36% of his 153 three-point attempts last season), but he's streaky, and it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his shooting range beyond the deeper NBA line.

Birthday: November 25, 1997

Position: Point guard

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 195 lbs.

Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.

High School: Trinity Christian School