Dennis Smith Jr. considered trying out for NFL before joining Hornets

Dennis Smith Jr. was training for a potential football career before signing a contract with the Charlotte Hornets in September.

"I told my previous agent, 'I'm not going overseas,'" the former NBA lottery pick told the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. "If shit don't work out, I'm just going to the NFL. And I was dead-ass serious. I put on hella weight. I was gonna try."

Smith said he played football in high school and would've also played at the collegiate level if he hadn't been a top basketball prospect. The 24-year-old had aspirations of making it to the NFL as a defensive back.

"I was going to get there, though, I swear to god I would," he said.

Smith has bounced around the NBA since the Dallas Mavericks selected him No. 9 overall in the 2017 draft, but he's impressed in Charlotte so far. He's averaging 13.5 points on 52.2% shooting from the field and 50% from 3-point range through four games this season.

"Some guys figure it out late, some guys figure it out right away," Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said. "He's a talented guy. Even though with the injuries he's not the athlete he was, he's still a really good athlete, even for this league. I don't see that he's doing anything that he can't continue to do, frankly."