“The Dennis Smith Jr. Redemption ‘Tour’ Is Brilliant.” Specialists, media and NBA fans agree that one of the protagonists of the start of the regular season is the exterior of the Charlotte Hornets, Dennis Smith Jr. (North Carolina, 1997). Because it seemed that his career would be anything but successful in the NBA and because his step forward shows work and ambition in equal parts.
Smith Jr.’s story is a full-fledged roller coaster. Front page college student, selected in 9th place in the 2017 Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and a delight for the eyes. Springs, jumping ability and showman, as he demonstrated in the 2019 Math Contest. But there he stayed. In a ‘highlight’. I went through New York, Detroit and Portland. No sign of improvement after leaving Texas with more than 14 points per night but shooting percentages that did not reach 40%.
And they stopped calling him. He disappeared from the front page. “I told my agent that I’m not going to play outside the United States. With no room in the NBA will seek to enter the NFL. Come in for it, they were looking for a place for me, I was willing”, says Smith Jr. after that stage of doubts. That is, she was ‘out of circulation’.
Until the Hornets showed up. In September and with only one year of contract. A one-way ticket, and with limited options… And only then did Smith Jr. take the plunge. Took responsibility on defense and has become the perfect outside complement to the Charlotte franchisewith very outstanding matches such as Madison’s against the Knicks, in which he recorded 14 points and 11 assists.
The ‘Redemption Tour’. The circle closed after thinking about moving to the NFL. He is a player again, and his averages of 13.5 points, 6 assists and 50% from the three-point range make him important in a team that does not have LaMelo Ball due to injury and needs external generators. Who knows if it is his place in the world.
