Smith Jr. talks about his pre-draft dance with Knicks
Before Phil Jackson passed on perhaps the most exciting prospect of the 2017 rookie class, the Knicks president encouraged Dennis Smith Jr. to eat an exotic delicacy.
“We went out to some restaurant and they had me eat some octopus, like an actual octopus tentacle,” Smith Jr. told the Daily News. “First time ever. I wasn’t going to try it, honestly. They kind of put the pressure on me to do it.”
Was this a test to gauge the point guard’s willingness to try something new like the triangle? Was it simply an attempt to expand a 19-year-old’s palate? Either way, the Knicks dined with Smith Jr. but didn’t draft him, leaving themselves open to criticism if the point guard’s elite athleticism translates to stardom in the NBA.
It’s way too early to judge the draft and, specifically, New York’s decision to pick Frank Ntilikina eighth overall ahead of Smith Jr. (ninth to the Mavericks). But the events of Summer League served as ammo for anybody who preferred Smith Jr.’s proven scoring ability.
While Ntilikina remains a total mystery after sitting out Summer League with a bruised knee, Smith Jr. became the toast of Las Vegas after starring with the Mavericks squad and wowing the crowd with his exciting offense. A missed dunk — which followed a deft crossover and a leap over a taller defender — became the highlight of Summer League and a peek into Smith Jr.’s ceiling.
“I was close. Believe it or not, I took off too close to the rim,” Smith Jr. recalled Friday after posing for his first Panini NBA trading card. “That’s why I hit the back of the rim.”
Smith Jr. later capitalized on the intrigue by signing a three-year, $6 million endorsement deal with Under Armour. Such a lucrative pact is rare for a ninth overall pick who hasn’t yet played a game.
“I just say this as humbly as possible, it didn’t surprise me,” Smith Jr. said of his Summer League explosion. “I’ve been playing against these guys since high school. I played them in college. They knew what I was capable of and I knew what I was capable of as well. So I just went out there and was playing my game.”
Only time will tell if the Knicks come to regret skipping over Smith Jr. Despite internal debate about him and other guards Malik Monk and Donovan Mitchell, sources say Ntilikina always represented New York’s top choice at No. 8.
Knicks president Steve Mills, who was elevated from GM, owned the decision after Jackson was fired.
“I talked to our scouts a lot about Frank before the draft. I went over and watched Frank play prior to the draft, met with Frank’s coaches and learned a lot about who he is as a player and who he is as a person,” Mills said. “So I’m very comfortable with that draft pick. I would have selected Frank at that point in the draft myself. He’s a guy that fits in everything that we’re talking about right now. He’s a smart basketball player. He focuses defensively and his approach to the game, his work ethic, fit exactly in the direction that we want to take this team.”
There may have also been some gamesmanship from Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who visited Ntilikina in Europe and posed for a picture with the Frenchman that quickly made the rounds on social media. Later, a report surfaced that the Mavericks were set to add Ntilikina’s coach from France to their Summer League staff.
The inference was that the Mavericks were committed to drafting Ntilikina, theoretically making it more enticing for Jackson to draft him a spot higher to keep him out of the hands of a former nemesis. Only the Mavericks never hired Ntilikina’s coach from France for their Summer League squad. Instead, they gave Smith Jr.’s former college coach, Mark Gottfried, a spot on the staff and, as Smith Jr. told The News, a permanent gig with Dallas’ G-League team.
Regardless if there were any deceptive tactics from the Mavs, the Knicks had a chance to draft Smith Jr. and decided against it.
“I definitely thought it was possible,” Smith Jr. told The News. “I flew in there, I had a great meeting with them. Then the draft came and things just changed.
“But I’m thankful for everything that did happen.”