Dennis Smith Jr. tournament in Fayetteville video
Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. talks about his motivation, love and respect for the game that drives him to uplift community through basketball.
Correspondent
Tera Gardens is a 120-unit multi-family apartment complex located off Ramsey Street in North Fayetteville. The complex is registered under the Section 8 program of the United States Department of HUD. Historically, like many low-income areas, Tera Gardens has a reputation for having a high concentration of criminal activity and a lack of adequate opportunities for growth. However, there are residents who exceed expectations and go on to become productive citizens. One of those Tera Gardens residents is the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Dennis Smith Sr. coached his son from elementary school until he joined the NC State Wolfpack, then the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks as a first-round draft pick. “June” was drafted at the age of 19, but he has managed to stay grounded by remaining close to his family and friends.
When he is not competing at the highest level of basketball, Smith Jr. could be seen around town supporting local businesses or catching up with his loved ones. Though basketball changed his life, Smith played football and baseball. With sports, he was able to create and cultivate a multitude of relationships throughout his life like Grant Bennett, a Pine Forest High alum and Morehouse graduate. Grant is the founder of Two-Six Project, a nonprofit organization based out of Fayetteville.
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According to its website, the Two-Six Project is a nonprofit organization that serves as an incubator for scholarships, educational programs, sports, and creative activities. This summer, the Two-Six Project collaborated with Vic Blends (a Fayetteville native and stylist with more than 15 million TikTok followers) and the MLB for PlayBall Weekend, then they connected with Miami Dolphins tight end and Pine Forest grad Julian Hill for his inaugural Community Family Fun Day. Most recently, Grant teamed up with his “twin” (referring to the Bennett and Smith shared Nov. 25, 1997 birthdate) for his third annual Smithway Weekend, which includes a youth basketball camp and basketball tournament.
The Smithway Invitational, better known as The Smitty, takes place each year on Independence Day weekend. The inaugural tournament was held at E.E. Smith High School, the site of the youth camp. The camp hosted kids ages 8-12 to a day filled with basketball exercises, music by DJ Ricoveli of Two-Six Project, and fun alongside Smith and his friends like Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV and former Pine Forest coach Donovan Washington. The camp and tournament take place over a span of two days. This year’s tournament was held between Smith Recreation Center’s indoor gymnasium (where Smith Jr. played for the Seabrook Seminoles with his sister, DeAira, and former Trinity Christian School standout, Kwe Parker) and Fayetteville State’s Capel Arena. The Smithway Invitational is composed of eight teams from various NC cities competing for a $10,000 cash prize. This year’s champions were the MCP AllStars of Fayetteville.
The MCP AllStars have won back-to-back championships during the tournament. However, this year’s championship was special because the MCP AllStars were coached by FSU Athletics Hall-Of-Fame inductee L’oreal Gamble, former women’s basketball player. As a member of the FSU 2010 CIAA Championship team, it was a full circle moment for her to coach her husband, Julian, former University Of Miami basketball player.
Last year, Gamble watched from the crowd, so she was elated (and a bit apprehensive) when Julian asked her to coach MCP to another championship. She obliged because she was familiar with the team that included former NBA players like UNC grad PJ Hairston and Jack Britt alum CJ Williams. The pair credits DaeQuan Hawkins and his MCP brand with the opportunity to team up on the sidelines as coach and player.
Hawkins held the $10,000 cash prize after Gamble and the AllStars competed in three consecutive games before being victorious over a team sponsored by Courtesy Transport. Gamble’s former classmate and reigning CIAA champion Lady Broncos head coach Tyreece Brown was in attendance alongside Dreamville co-founder Ibrahim “Ib” Hamed. Gamble and her husband provide opportunities through basketball via their women’s summer league (Life’s A Gamble), semi-pro women’s basketball team (Raleigh Aces), and consulting firm (Crossover The Net Consulting).
Like the Gambles and his father, Smith loves to provide opportunities through basketball. Smithway Weekend is a way for Smith Jr. to give back to his community. When he was first drafted, he partnered with Under Armour to upgrade the outdoor basketball courts at Seabrook Park. He also collaborated with Fayetteville-based brand DeadPlay Apparel for an exclusive merchandise drop. The tournament is just as enjoyable for him as the players and coaches.
“I just like watching high-level basketball,” Smith said. He even grabbed the microphone to offer commentary during select games. Next year, Smith hopes the tournament will continue to grow and provide more opportunities for the community to grow. To keep up with the growth of Smithway Weekend., follow @desmith4 or log on to www.twosixproject.com.