/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56097819/815434448.0.jpg)
Dallas Mavericks rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has signed a three-year deal worth $2 million per year with incentives with Under Armour, according to ESPN.com’s Nick DePaula.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman was the first to report Monday of the Mavericks’ ninth overall pick from this summer’s NBA draft was on the verge of signing a lucrative deal with the company..
With most rookies already signing shoe deals — including one getting his own shoe line — Dallas’ lottery pick, its first such selection in over a decade, was the only one to hold out on signing a deal. He was “betting on himself” to get a big-time deal after his play in Las Vegas Summer League, per DePaula from The Vertical (from The Smoking Cuban).
That bet appears to be paying off for Smith, as he’s about to become a very rich man with the company that endorses, primarily, Stephen Curry. Phoenix Suns rookie Josh Jackson signed a deal with UA in late June.
The Under Armour presence in the NBA is minimal, but it’s been gaining major steam over the last few years. Smith had a stellar run in Summer League, averaging nearly 18 points, five rebounds and four assists in six games.
He banked on himself, and according to Goodman, it’s going to pay off big time.