RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State men's basketball guard Dennis Smith, Jr., declared for the NBA Draft on Tuesday.
"I would like to announce my decision to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft," said Smith on ESPN's SportsCenter telecast Tuesday morning. "I believed I had a good chance (to turn pro) when I entered college. It was definitely an attainable dream for me and I knew I would chase it with all of my might.
"It meant a lot for me (to play at NC State). I've been a State fan my entire life, as well as my family, so it was definitely a dream come true to play in the red and white. I have the utmost respect for everybody I was there with. I'm thankful for the opportunity."
Smith entered college with great expectations as he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in October and then lived up to those expectations as he ended the year by being named the ACC Freshman of the Year.
Smith is the first Pack player since Hawkeye Whitney in 1977 to be named ACC Freshman of the Year. Smith is the only player in NC State history to be the sole winner of the honor as Whitney shared co-Rookie of the Year honors with Duke's Mike Gminski in 1977.
Smith finished his freshman season ranking sixth among ACC scorers with 18.1 points per game and leading the league in assists with 6.2 per contests. Smith also registered 62 steals in 32 games (1.94 per contest), second among ACC players in that category. He led ACC freshmen in all three categories.
He is the first freshman since UNC-Chapel Hill's Ed Cota in the 1996-97 season to lead ACC freshmen in points and assists.
Smith registered two triple-doubles in his freshman season, recording 27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds against Virginia Tech on January 4 and had 13 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds against Syracuse on February 1. Smith is the only player in ACC history to register two triple-doubles in the same season.
Smith had four 30-point performances on the season. The four games with at least 30 points are the most 30-point games for a freshman in ACC history.
Smith scored a season-high 32 points in the Pack's win at Duke on January 23. The 32 points are the third-most by an NC State freshman in school history.
Smith's scoring average of 18.1 points is the highest for a freshman in NC State history and his 62 steals are the most steals by a freshman in NC State history. The three-time ACC Freshman of the Week finished with 197 assists on the year, second-most by a freshman in NC State history.
Smith was one of 12 players named to the midseason watch list for the Wayman Tisdale Award (national freshman of the year) and one of 10 players named as a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award (best point guard in the country).
