Dennis Smith Jr.: "Coming to Real Madrid means a lot to me”
“Doncic spoke very highly of the club and the city, so it was an easy decision for me to make," said our team's new signing.
Dennis Smith Jr. has given his first interview as a Real Madrid player. The North American point guard told Realmadrid TV how excited he was to join the club: “Coming here means a lot to me. Two very important people in basketball for whom I have great respect spoke very highly of the club. I had a chat with Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernández, who said how great it was, and the same with Luka Doncic. So I didn't have to give it too much thought once I'd decided I wanted to go abroad."
“I'm here to bring intensity, to get into the paint, assist my teammates and be one of the best defensive players in the league. I'll have to show a winning mentality, help my teammates reach their top levels and fit in around the locker room. I'm a guy who likes to try and do the right things. Before I came, I was watching videos back of when I was at College, and I could see the differences between how I used to view the game, and how I see it now. Now I'm most concerned with helping the team and that's crucial as a professional athlete."
Conversation with Doncic
“Doncic spoke very highly of the city, he told me how much he loves it. He said both the club and the city are fantastic, so it was an easy decision for me to come here.”
Reunions
“I can't wait to see Mario Hezonja. We played together for the Knicks, so it'll be great to meet back up with a guy I always got on very well with when we were teammates. I managed to speak to him as well, to get a feeling for what things would be like here. Campazzo and Ibaka are here as well, I played against them in the NBA. It's great to have those players as teammates now."
The coach
“Chus Mateo wants me to develop my game and maximize my potential both with and without the ball. I think it's going to be interesting, I can't wait."
Mentality
"From what I've heard, every game is competitive and every possession counts. Players never step off the gas here, they always want to compete at the maximum level. That's in my DNA as well and I'm looking forward to seeing it."
Message for the fans
"I'm delighted to get to know you, your welcome on social media has been amazing so far. I've done my homework, I've watched a lot of games and videos of the best moments on YouTube. You're an incredible fanbase and everything I've heard seems to match what I'm seeing. I look forward to meeting you in person, we'll see each other very soon."