Dennis Smith Jr. gets key to the city
By Rodd Baxley
Staff writer FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Mayor Mitch Colvin is accustomed to watching Dennis Smith Jr. soar through the air for rim-rattling dunks on the basketball court.
But Colvin is even more impressed with the 21-yearold Smith’s determination to go above and beyond off the court for his hometown of Fayetteville.
“I think if anybody deserves recognition for the hard work, and not only the accomplishments, but remembering to put back into the community they come from,” Colvin said, “ … I think he’s the perfect example of that.”
Colvin, who on Tuesday presented Smith with a ceremonial key to the city “in recognition of his efforts to support the youth and provide exceptional leadership to the citizens of Fayetteville both on and off the court,” said he was honored to be part of the ceremony at Tera Gardens Apartments off Ramsey Street.
Smith, who threw down his first dunk on Langdon Street at Seabrook Park’s Smith Recreation Center, returned to the park in February to unveil a pair of refurbished courts.
A guard with the NBA’s New York Knicks, Smith held a basketball skill session on the new-look court during NBA All-Star week with the help of Under Armour, the Smith Recreation Center and Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation.
“Most of the time when those guys get to stardom, particularly in a market like New York City, it’s hard to remember your hometown,” Colvin said.
“I was real impressed by the investment that he partnered with Under Armour to redo the Seabrook court. That’s one of the most underserved areas in the city. That meant a lot to the community and that’s home for me. That’s just one of the things. … I understand that he’s very active in the community in some other ways.”
After a standout prep career at Trinity Christian, Smith earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in his lone year with the N.C. State Wolfpack. The ninth overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2017 NBA draft, Smith averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game in his rookie season.
Smith was traded in January, averaging 14.7 points and 5.4 assists in 21 games with the Knicks.
“If you’re ever around him, he’s a very humble guy,” Colvin said.
“He just blends in with the crowd. To me, that says that success doesn’t define your character, necessarily. He’s shown that you can be successful and still maintain a level head, which says a lot. That’s inspiring to the youth that we have here.” Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3519.
By Rodd Baxley
Staff writer FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Mayor Mitch Colvin is accustomed to watching Dennis Smith Jr. soar through the air for rim-rattling dunks on the basketball court.
But Colvin is even more impressed with the 21-yearold Smith’s determination to go above and beyond off the court for his hometown of Fayetteville.
“I think if anybody deserves recognition for the hard work, and not only the accomplishments, but remembering to put back into the community they come from,” Colvin said, “ … I think he’s the perfect example of that.”
Colvin, who on Tuesday presented Smith with a ceremonial key to the city “in recognition of his efforts to support the youth and provide exceptional leadership to the citizens of Fayetteville both on and off the court,” said he was honored to be part of the ceremony at Tera Gardens Apartments off Ramsey Street.
Smith, who threw down his first dunk on Langdon Street at Seabrook Park’s Smith Recreation Center, returned to the park in February to unveil a pair of refurbished courts.
A guard with the NBA’s New York Knicks, Smith held a basketball skill session on the new-look court during NBA All-Star week with the help of Under Armour, the Smith Recreation Center and Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation.
“Most of the time when those guys get to stardom, particularly in a market like New York City, it’s hard to remember your hometown,” Colvin said.
“I was real impressed by the investment that he partnered with Under Armour to redo the Seabrook court. That’s one of the most underserved areas in the city. That meant a lot to the community and that’s home for me. That’s just one of the things. … I understand that he’s very active in the community in some other ways.”
After a standout prep career at Trinity Christian, Smith earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in his lone year with the N.C. State Wolfpack. The ninth overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2017 NBA draft, Smith averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game in his rookie season.
Smith was traded in January, averaging 14.7 points and 5.4 assists in 21 games with the Knicks.
“If you’re ever around him, he’s a very humble guy,” Colvin said.
“He just blends in with the crowd. To me, that says that success doesn’t define your character, necessarily. He’s shown that you can be successful and still maintain a level head, which says a lot. That’s inspiring to the youth that we have here.” Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3519.
