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NC State Wolfpack: Dennis Smith, Jr. freshman basketball star

By Horran Cameron

Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cheerleaders cheer on the court against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Blue Devils won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cheerleaders cheer on the court against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Blue Devils won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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For the NC State Wolfpack, a fresh breeze is blowing in from Fayetteville and its name is Dennis Smith.

Dennis Smith, Jr. hails from Fayetteville, North Carolina, known as “the 2-6,” “Fayettenam,” and “Gotham City” due to the amount of violence there. Despite the negativity from his hometown, Smith represents a breath of fresh air. His elite basketball skill level will make him a household name in the near future among the NC State Wolfpack; if not already.

His rise to stardom began several years ago on the AAU circuit and high school basketball. He battled other young basketball stars such as Seventh Woods (North Carolina Tar Heels), De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky Wildcats) and Kobi Simmons (Arizona Wildcats). Smith has delivered when facing other elite guards in his class. This young man backs down from nobody.

His style of play resembles Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook. If you have seen him play, then you already know that this is a fair comparison. Smith is a true point guard who plays above the rim. Although he can play both guard positions, Smith is indeed a point guard.

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Smith, Jr. could quite possibly be the savior to the Wolfpack Basketball program. Losing Cat Barber was a big hit to the Wolfpack. A backcourt of Smith, Jr and Barber would have been one of the best in the ACC, if not the nation. In addition, N.C. State lost the Cody and Caleb Martin (the Martin twins).

Despite the loss of these three players, N.C. State will shock a lot of people with their team next season. It will be centered around the talents of Smith. If you have not seen his skill level, then check out the video when he challenged the Orlando Magic’s Victor Oladipo.

If that video does not convince you of Smith’s basketball prowess, then check out this performance when he almost had a triple double in an AAU game.

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If you still are not convinced that Dennis Smith, Jr. is already a star then look at this video when he fought off double and triple teams en route to 35 points. Yes, he played against lesser talent, but he showed how great of a player he is despite the level of his competition.

Smith is good enough to be the ACC’s Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year. Heck, the sky is the limit. This young man is capable of taking over games by himself. N.C. State has BeeJay Anya, Malik-Abdul Abu and Maverick Rowan back from last season who played a great deal of minutes. Add Lennard Freeman and Terry Henderson into the mix. Now, the Wolfpack can compete with anyone.

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Their rotation will be very small next season. Expect Smith to play over 30 minutes a game; probably 32 to 35. He will be expected to contribute from day one. Again, Smith is already a star. Many of you just don’t know it yet.

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