These are by no means requirements, but to have success at NC State it helps to have a deeply-rooted competitive streak and a chip on your shoulder, no matter how talented you might be. After reading this excellent piece on Dennis Smith Jr. from the N&O’s Joe Giglio, it’s clear that DSJ checks both of those boxes.
Smith has lofty personal goals for himself this season, and his response to picking NC State over Kentucky or Duke or another high-profile program is that he’d rather beat those teams than join them. That mentality—along with his ridiculous talent, of course—is why both DSJ and the Wolfpack have the potential for a special season.