Dallas Mavericks: 5 goals for Dennis Smith Jr.’s rookie season

5. Dominate matchups with Fultz, Ball, Fox and Ntilikina

In the grand scheme of his career, Dennis Smith Jr. will have much loftier goals than dominating individual matchups. He will want to lead the Dallas Mavericks to victories over every opponent, and ultimately to NBA titles.

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But for his rookie season, it will be important to Smith to show he is better than the players drafted before him. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and his drive against his fellow draftees will be at its highest.

Winning individual matchups against Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, De’Aaron Fox and Frank Ntilikina will keep a positive media narrative around the organization. It will help to build his personal brand as well, a personal goal and one that helps the Mavericks by association.

With elite point guards scattered among the league’s contending teams, Smith can cut his teeth against his classmates and build toward a future point where he is dominating matchups no matter the opponent. Regularly beat Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Mavericks accrue wins while Smith builds confidence for beating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Smith will always be compared to his classmates, and the best way for him to help his team and himself is to dominate those classmates from the jump. With so many point guards taken ahead of him, there are numerous opportunities for Smith to show why he should have been the first one off the board.