Dennis Smith Jr Receives Honorary Key to the City of Fayetteville

Former NC State ACC Freshman of the Year Dennis Smith Jr has never forgotten where he came from, no matter how high he’s climbed the ladder.

Earlier this week, Mitch Colvin, the mayor of Fayetteville, presented Smith Jr 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.” (FayObserver)

DSJ threw down his first dunk on Langdon Street at Seabrook Park’s Smith Recreation Center, and back in February, in partnership with Under Armour, he unveiled a pair of refurbished courts there.

“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.”

“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.” (FayObserver)

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