Dennis Smith Jr. ready to take reins from Dirk Nowitzki: 'That kid will be the steal of the draft'

Nubyjas Wilborn

Dennis Smith Jr. ready to take reins from Dirk Nowitzki: 'That kid will be the steal of the draft' image

Dennis Smith Jr. will celebrate his 20th birthday on Nov. 25. He has just started his rookie season as the starting point guard for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, his future Hall of Fame teammate, Dirk Nowitzki, hit 39 years of age in June and began his 20th season in the NBA on Wednesday night, all of which have come with the Mavericks. 

Smith was less than a year old when Nowitzki was drafted by the Mavericks in 1998. The 6-2 guard from Fayetteville, N.C., grew up dreaming of throwing passes to players like Nowitzki. He has already had a full training camp and preseason playing with "The Big German," and he has made a strong first impression.

So far, Smith has already gained the confidence of head coach Rick Carlisle, who had no problem throwing the rookie into a starting role in his first game. 

“He’s a terrific kid. He’s learning the NBA,” Carlisle said. “He’s a worker. We knew he had a lot of game coming into this. The NBA game is about the mental and learning it. I’ve been impressed with his diligence and willingness to adapt.” 

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Smith didn't waste any time in a 117-111 loss against the Hawks. He threw down an alley-oop slam on his first offensive possession, scoring 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting and adding 10 assists in 30 minutes.

It was a quick start for guy who wasn't old enough to remember Nowitzki's debut in 1999. Nowitzki struggled in his first game, missing all five of his field goal attempts in a loss to the SuperSonics. Nowitzki found his footing in his sophomore season, averaging 17.5 points per game on 46.1 percent shooting, including 37.9 percent from 3-point range. He has been a nearly unstoppable offensive force ever since.

“Dennis was two weeks old when Dirk came in the league,” Carlisle said. “Dirk is a guy that would fit in and communicate in any era. He makes teammates better. There’s statically based evidence on this. Dirk is one of the top three players in plus/minus of all time.”

Nowitzki isn’t quite that player anymore. He had the lowest scoring output since his rookie season in 2016-17, averaging only 14.2 points in 26.4 minutes per game.

However, he is still a big part of the Mavericks. How far the Mavs go this season will be contingent upon the growing bond between the two.

“He’s a good kid,” Nowitzki said. “He has all the tools to be a very special player. And his work ethic is strong. I’ve only known him for a short time, but he has something special.”

Carlisle noticed it immediately, and so did backup point guard Devin Harris. It’s an eerie familiarity for Harris. He started his career with Mavs in 2004, playing his first 3 1/2 seasons in Dallas before a trade to the Nets in 2008.

After a few stops along the way, he signed with the Mavs in 2013 and has logged nearly 20 minutes per game in four seasons as a backup. Now, he’s giving veteran advice to Smith.

“I had guys like Michael Finley and Jason Terry showing me the ropes here,” Harris said. “I had guys like Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter helping me with the Nets. The kid has a lot of potential. He has some talent and could lead this team for a long time. It’s our job to get him there.”

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Smith has wowed NBA talent evaluators with his quickness and toughness. He surprisingly dropped to the Mavs at No. 9 overall after four other point guards: Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, De'Aaron Fox and Frank Ntilikina. Will the Sixers, Lakers, Kings and Knicks come to regret their selections?

"[Smith] has everything it takes to be a great a player in this league," a rival Western Conference scout said. "I am not looking forward to seeing this guy four times a year. He's another tough point guard adding to one of the toughest positions in the NBA. He sees the floor well, passes to his teammates and is unselfish. He will be fine.

"He has a 48-inch vertical, can get to the bucket and create off the dribble. That kid will be the steal of the draft."

Part of the reason Smith didn't go higher in the draft was a knee injury he suffered in high school. He has since bounced back, and he plans on shaking off the "injury-prone" tag.

"It works out the way it's supposed to," Smith said. "I get to play on a team with a legend. It's crazy to me that Dirk is my teammate, but he reminds me that I have a chance at my own legacy. 

"A lot of people think I'm injury-prone and that I can't handle this. But I'm with a team that believes me and I believe in myself. It's hard not to be confident in the game when they make practice as tough as it is. The game itself is easy."

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Nowitzki and Smith share a bond of overcoming doubters. Nowitzki had to deal with the fallout of his rough debut and rookie campaign, not to mention the whispers later in his career that he couldn't be the top player on a championship team. He shut that down with an incredible title run in 2011 in which the Mavs shocked the Heat's "Big Three" of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the NBA Finals.

Dallas is hoping Smith can one day push the franchise back down that championship path, and Nowitzki is happy to help him get there.

"Nobody would've thought I'd still be here," Nowitzki said. "After my first game, many people thought I wouldn't make another season. But I kept working and still never give up. I see a lot of that same fight in Dennis. He wants to be great. He's always asking questions and I will help him in every way I can. I want the Mavs to be great after I'm gone, and it'll be Dennis who will lead that charge."

The early returns show Smith is ready for the challenge. He will stumble along the way like any rookie does, but Smith believes he's ready — and so do the Mavs.

"He plays a position where there are no nights off," Carlisle said. "I trust he will get through it. We are throwing him in the fire, but we also believe he's built for it."

Nubyjas Wilborn

Nubyjas Wilborn covers the NBA for Sporting News and is based in Atlanta.