Report: Fayetteville’s Dennis Smith signs with Charlotte Hornets
Fayetteville native Dennis Smith Jr. is coming back home to continue his NBA career.
Smith has signed a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Smith, 24, is entering his sixth NBA season with career averages of 10.7 points, 4.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.
After graduating from Trinity Christian School, Smith spent one season at NC State and was a top-10 pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2017 NBA Draft. He has spent time with the Mavericks, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers.
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In February, Smith injured his right elbow and was waived by the Blazers. Despite inconsistent minutes in Portland, Smith showed flashes of the ability that helped him become a lottery pick.
He played 30-plus minutes in four games as a starter when star guard Damian Lillard was injured. In those games, Smith averaged 15.8 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds. He knocked down 54.3% of his shots.
Smith returned to Fayetteville in late June for his inaugural basketball camp and discussed his determination to find a roster spot ahead of the season.
“You gotta work and keep your faith in the right stuff,” he said in an interview with the Fayetteville Observer.
“It’s God and the work for me, so that’s what keeps my head level. I believe in myself, too.”
The Hornets begin training camp Sept. 27 and play their first preseason home game Oct. 5 against the Indiana Pacers. Charlotte will travel to San Antonio on Oct. 19 for the season opener.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville native Dennis Smith Jr. signs with NBA's Charlotte Hornets
