The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/846301
20 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK BY MATT CARTER Billionaire Mark Cuban bought a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in January 2000. Despite the franchise winning only roughly 40 percent of their games in the 20 years prior to the pur- chase, the team has done so well under Cuban that before this year the last time they made a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft was 1998. With this year's No. 9 choice, they selected NC State's Dennis Smith Jr. The club hopes that having the athletic Fayetteville, N.C., native run the show will result in another long absence from the NBA Draft lottery. Smith averaged 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in his lone year at NCSU. The second-team all- conference choice, who led the ACC in assists and ranked sixth in scoring, became the first Wolfpacker to earn ACC Freshman of the Year honors by himself (Hawkeye Whitney shared the award in 1977), and stands as the school's highest drafted player since Tom Gugliotta went No. 6 in 1992. "Dennis Smith could have arguably been the No. 1 or 2 pick," NBA analyst Kenny Smith told The Fayetteville Observer. "He and [No. 1 pick Markelle] Fultz were no different coming into college. Both produced high numbers, but Dennis Smith did it in a tougher league, the ACC, where every night you're seeing a different type of talented basketball team." Nothing will be given to Smith, but he's expected to be able to supplant second-year pro Yogi Ferrell as the starting point guard in Dallas. The undrafted product out of Indiana ended the year as the starter after an injury to veteran J.J. Barea, and in 36 games with the club Ferrell averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 29.1 minutes per outing. Even if he doesn't start right away, Smith is expected to be a building block for the Mavericks. "This is a huge day," head coach Rick Carlisle said of Smith. "He has the ability to be an instant-impact guy. I would project him as a starter, but he's going to have to earn it. And he understands that." The team's official website said of the 6-3 Smith: "The 19-year- old is the most athletic guard Carlisle has coached since he took over in 2008, and he's probably the most explosive guard in Mav- ericks franchise history. … Aside from Russell Westbrook, Smith is probably already the league's most violent dunker at the point guard position." Eight Wolfpackers And Three Recruits Taken In MLB Draft Led by second-round pick Joe Dunand, the Wolfpack baseball team was represented by eight selections in the annual MLB Draft. It marked the most NCSU players tabbed in the event since 2008 (nine), and three prep recruits were also selected late in the process. Dunand will be heading home after the second-team All-Amer- ican shortstop was drafted 51st overall by the Miami Marlins. The junior has already signed with his hometown team and is expected to play third base at the next level. He has drawn comparisons to his famous uncle, former MLB star Alex Rodriguez, who played shortstop from 1994-2003 before finishing his career at the hot corner with the New York Yankees. Seven other NCSU products heard their names called on the third day of the draft and gave head coach Elliott Avent, who just ended his 21st year at the helm, 100 drafted players that he has mentored in Raleigh. NC State was one of just 18 schools that had at least one player taken in the NFL, NBA and MLB Drafts, and the Wolfpack tied for the eighth most combined with 12 selections (eight in MLB, three in NFL and one in NBA). The full list of NCSU baseball draftees: Pos. Yr. Name Round Pick No. Team Signed? SS Jr. Joe Dunand 2 51 Miami Marlins Yes 3B Jr. Evan Mendoza 11 334 St. Louis Cardinals Yes OF Jr. Josh McLain 14 430 Los Angeles Dodgers No (returning) C Jr. Andy Cosgrove 17 496 Minnesota Twins Yes P Jr. Tommy DeJuneas 26 792 Cleveland Indians Yes OF Jr. Brock Deatherage 29 868 Pittsburgh Pirates No (returning) P R-Jr. Cody Beckman 30 894 Milwaukee Brewers Yes P R-So. Tim Naughton 34 1,028 Baltimore Orioles Yes The trio of prep recruits selected, none of which have signed yet (July 15 is the deadline): Pos. Yr. Name Round Pick No. Team Signed? P — Justin Bullock 16 474 Milwaukee Brewers ? C — Patrick Bailey 37 1,096 Minnesota Twins ? SS — David Vazquez 37 1,102 Arizona Diamondbacks ? Dennis Smith Jr. Goes Ninth In The NBA Draft Smith's No. 9 overall selection is the highest for a Wolfpacker in the NBA Draft since Tom Gugliotta went No. 6 in 1992. PHOTO BY DANNY BOLLINGER/COURTESY MAVS.COM