Dennis Smith Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dennis Smith Jr.

Smith with the Brooklyn Nets in 2024
No. 4 – Real Madrid
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1997-11-25) November 25, 1997 (age 27) Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Trinity Christian School (Fayetteville, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College	NC State (2016–2017)
NBA Draft	2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Pro career	2017–present
League	Liga ACB EuroLeague
Career history
2017–2019	Dallas Mavericks
2019–2021	New York Knicks
2021	Detroit Pistons
2021–2022	Portland Trail Blazers
2022–2023	Charlotte Hornets
2023–2024	Brooklyn Nets
2025–present	Real Madrid
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2018) ACC Rookie of the Year (2017) Second-team All-ACC (2017) ACC All-Freshman team (2017)

Dennis Cliff Smith Jr. (born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on November 25, 1997) is a talented American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Real Madrid in Spain, competing in both the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.

Before turning pro, Dennis played college basketball for one season at North Carolina State University. He was recognized as the best freshman player in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and was also named to the second-team All-ACC. In 2017, the Dallas Mavericks picked him ninth overall in the 2017 NBA draft.

Dennis played for the Mavericks for two seasons. Then, in January 2019, he was traded to the New York Knicks. Later, he played for the Detroit Pistons and the Portland Trail Blazers. In 2022, he joined his hometown team, the Charlotte Hornets, and in 2023, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets.

High School Basketball Star

Dennis Smith Jr. went to Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In his first year, he was a key player on the varsity basketball team. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.0 assists per game.

As a sophomore, Dennis helped Trinity Christian win the 2014 NCISAA 1-A State Championship. He scored 21 points and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game. That season, he averaged 17.6 points, 9.3 assists, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game.

In his junior year, Dennis continued to shine. He averaged 22.2 points, 7.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 3 steals. He led his team to a 23–10 record. In 2015, he was named the Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year for North Carolina.

During the summer of 2015, Dennis played on the AAU team, Team Loaded North Carolina. He helped his team win the Adidas Uprising Gauntlet Championship. Later that summer, he injured his ACL (a knee ligament). Doctors found he had an extra ACL, which was very unusual! After surgery, he recovered quickly and even became more explosive, increasing his vertical jump by 8 inches.

Dennis was considered one of the top high school basketball players in the 2016 class. Many experts rated him as a five-star recruit. On September 10, 2015, he decided to play college basketball for North Carolina State University.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Dennis Smith Jr PG	Fayetteville, NC	Trinity Christian School (NC)	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Sep 10, 2015
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 10   Rivals: N/A  247Sports: 7  ESPN: N/A
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Career at NC State

In December 2015, Dennis decided to finish high school early. He enrolled at North Carolina State University in January 2016. This allowed him to start college classes and recover from his knee injury with the NC State medical team.

Dennis quickly made an impact in his freshman season (2016–17). On November 26, 2016, he scored a season-high 30 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 7 assists against Loyola University Chicago.

Making History with Triple-Doubles

On January 4, 2017, Dennis achieved a rare feat: a triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats in one game. He scored 27 points, had 11 rebounds, and 11 assists against Virginia Tech. He was only the second NC State player ever to do this!

Later, on February 1, he recorded his second triple-double of the season. He had 13 points, 15 assists, and 11 rebounds against Syracuse. This made him the only player in ACC history to have two triple-doubles against league opponents.

Dennis also scored a career-high 32 points against the Duke Blue Devils. This helped NC State win at Duke's home stadium for the first time since 1995.

At the end of the season, Dennis was named ACC Rookie of the Year. He was also selected for the Second Team All-ACC and the ACC All-Freshman team. In 32 games, he averaged 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

After his amazing freshman year, Dennis decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Dallas Mavericks (2017–2019)

The Dallas Mavericks chose Dennis Smith Jr. as the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract on July 5, 2017. Before his first NBA season, he played well in the Summer League, earning All-Summer League first-team honors.

Dennis made his NBA debut on October 18, 2017, scoring 16 points and making 10 assists. On December 29, 2017, he recorded his first NBA triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. At just 20 years old, he became one of the youngest players in NBA history to achieve a triple-double. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in May 2018.

New York Knicks (2019–2021)

On January 31, 2019, Dennis was traded to the New York Knicks. In only his third game with the Knicks, he scored a career-high 31 points. He also had eight assists and two steals in that game.

Smith with the New York Knicks in 2020

During the 2020–21 season, Dennis played only a few games for the Knicks. He even asked to play for their minor league team, the Westchester Knicks, to get more playing time.

Detroit Pistons (2021)

In February 2021, Dennis was traded to the Detroit Pistons. On March 3, he achieved his third career triple-double with ten points, eleven assists, and a career-high twelve rebounds.

Portland Trail Blazers (2021–2022)

Dennis signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in September 2021. He scored a season-high 21 points in a game on December 4. Unfortunately, he suffered a right elbow injury in February 2022 and was later waived by the team.

Charlotte Hornets (2022–2023)

After his injury, Dennis thought about trying to play in the NFL as a defensive back! But he decided to stick with basketball. He was invited to the Charlotte Hornets' preseason camp.

On September 23, 2022, Dennis signed with his hometown team, the Charlotte Hornets. He made his debut on October 19, scoring 12 points.

Brooklyn Nets (2023–2024)

On July 8, 2023, Dennis signed with the Brooklyn Nets.

Real Madrid (2025–present)

In January 2025, Dennis signed with Real Madrid in Spain. He will play in the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.

Personal Life

Dennis Smith Jr. signed an endorsement deal with Under Armour in 2017. He is also friends with famous rapper J. Cole, who is also from Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Dennis was raised by his single father, Dennis Smith Sr., with help from his Aunt Rhonda. Dennis became a father himself in 2022.

Career Statistics

NBA

College

See also

In Spanish: Dennis Smith Jr. para niños