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Ten games into his rookie season, Dennis Smith Jr. is already impressing fans and filling stat sheets, including something only Kyrie Irving and LeBron James have done before.
After scoring a career high 22 points and dishing out eight assists in a win against the Washington Wizards, Dennis Smith Jr. became just the third teenager ever to compile at least 142 points and 49 assists in the first 10 games of their career.
Rookie Year Stats
Name | Age | Season | G | Points | Assists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Age | Season | G | Points | Assists |
Lebron James | 18 | 2003-04 | 10 | 168 | 64 |
Kyrie Irving | 19 | 2011-12 | 10 | 166 | 52 |
Dennis Smith Jr. | 19 | 2017-18 | 10 | 142 | 49 |
Dajuan Wagner was the next closest to these marks as a teen with 194 points but just 47 assists back in 2002-03. Before that, Stephon Marbury totaled 133 points and 48 assists in 1996-97 while not even starting two of the 10 games.
Somewhat surprisingly, no other one-and-done rookie in the loaded 2017 NBA Draft has accumulated numbers like Smith Jr. Jayson Tatum was eight points and 29 assists short, De’Aaron Fox was 18 points short, Lonzo Ball turned 20 after the fourth game of his season, and Markelle Fultz has only played four games so far.
Obviously this is incredible company for Smith Jr to be in during his first season in the NBA, and it bodes well for his career going forward. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are two of the most incredible players in the NBA, and it will take a ton of work for Smith Jr. to match their career trajectory.
The Mavericks won’t face Kyrie and the Boston Celtics until November 20, but Dennis Smith Jr. will most likely play the 11th game of his career against—who else—LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, November 11.
While Kyrie and Lebron had a rough split over the summer, Dennis and LeBron enjoyed a reunion of sorts.
Then and now w big bro @KingJames who woulda thought I'll be playin against em this soon pic.twitter.com/PHjqZCzRuu
— Dennis Smith Jr. (@Dennis1SmithJr) September 16, 2017
We’ll see if they’re still smiling after Saturday night.
H/T to @Cheftrille and our own Dalton Trigg for uncovering this stat.