Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s detailed information about Dennis Smith Jr.:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Dennis Cliff Smith Jr.
  • Nickname: DSJ.
  • Nationality: American.
  • Date of Birth: November 25, 1997.
  • Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. (NC State University Athletics)
  • Height: 6-foot-2.
  • Weight: 205 pounds.
  • Wingspan: 6-foot-5. (NBADraft)
  • Shoe Size: —
  • Jersey Number (college and NBA):
    • No. 4 — NC State Wolfpack.
    • No. 1 — Dallas Mavericks.
    • No. 5 — New York Knicks.
    • No. 0 — Detroit Pistons.
    • No. 10 — Portland Trail Blazers.
    • No. 8 — Charlotte Hornets.
    • No. 4 — Brooklyn Nets.
    • No. 4 — Real Madrid.
    • No. 26 — Sioux Falls Skyforce.
  • Position: Point Guard.
  • High School: Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. (NC State University Athletics)
  • College: NC State.
  • NBA Draft: Dallas Mavericks, 2017, No. 9 overall.
  • Teams Played For:
    • Dallas Mavericks (2017–2019)
    • New York Knicks (2019–2021)
    • Detroit Pistons (2021)
    • Portland Trail Blazers (2021–2022)
    • Charlotte Hornets (2022–2023)
    • Brooklyn Nets (2023–2024)
    • Real Madrid (2025)
    • Wisconsin Herd (2025–2026)
    • Sioux Falls Skyforce (2026–present)
  • Championship Rings: 0.
  • Parents: Dennis Smith Sr.; his mother is Helena. (NBA)
  • Children: One son, born in 2022. (Wikipedia)
  • Siblings: One older sister, De’Aira Smith. (Dallas News)
  • Athlete Relatives: Sister De’Aira Smith played college basketball at Fayetteville State. (Dallas News)

Player Archetype / Play Style

Dennis Smith Jr.’s player archetype is that of an explosive downhill point-guard archetype, built around burst, rim pressure, and open-floor athleticism rather than methodical control. Defensively, his best role is at the point of attack, where his speed, strength, and competitiveness can bother opposing guards when he is fully engaged. Offensively, he is most dangerous collapsing the lane, attacking off the bounce, and creating pressure as a secondary playmaker, while his jumper and overall efficiency have been the swing skills throughout his career. Physically, he is a compact but powerful guard with real pop, quick-twitch acceleration, and above-the-rim ability that always stood out for his size. The overall play style summary is a guard who can inject pace, energy, and dribble penetration, with his long-term value tied to how consistently he defends, makes reads, and keeps defenses honest as a shooter. (NBADraft)

Fun Facts

  • Dennis Smith Jr. was raised by his father, Dennis Smith Sr., with the help of his Aunt Rhonda.
  • He is friends with fellow Fayetteville native rapper J. Cole.
  • In June 2017, Smith signed a three-year endorsement deal with Under Armour.

Player Insights

Dennis Smith Jr. started off his NBA career as a successful player for the Dallas Mavericks, earning All-Rookie Second Team honors. After spending his first three NBA seasons as close to a 30-minute per-game player, his minutes were reduced in his fourth season while playing for the Knicks. Smith Jr. never recovered his lost minutes, and he last played in the NBA for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2023-24 NBA Season. Since then, he has played in Spain for Real Madrid. Rumor has it he is looking at making an NBA return once his current Real Madrid contract is up. If he can’t find his way back into the NBA, I recommend he check out the NBL because I know Australia would love to have him. 2/24/2025

Sources:

NBA Draft — Dennis Smith
Boston Celtics — Draft Profile: Dennis Smith Jr.
ESPN — Mavericks pick at No. 9: Dennis Smith Jr., NC State guard
NC State — Dennis Smith, Jr. – 2016-17 – Men’s Basketball