Dennis Smith Jr. was selected with the ninth pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and will most likely assume a prominent role immediately for the rebuilding Dallas Mavericks.

As the franchise’s highest pick since they drafted Dirk Nowitzki in 1998, Smith will receive an ample amount of playing time and will undoubtedly work through some growing pains as he adjusts to the NBA style of play.

Therefore, a mentor or two would be a luxury for him to have. Jamahl Mosley, the Mavericks’ Summer League coach, revealed the surprising player that took on that role in order to guide Smith, and it’s a name that might shock you.

24-year-old point guard Yogi Ferrell, who initially signed a 10-day contract with the Mavs last season before eventually being inked to a two-year deal, has taken Smith under his wing.

“You’re talking about a guy that is 100 percent professional,” Mosley said of Ferrell via NBA.com. “A lot of guys would take certain things personally when you’ve got a guy coming in and he’s a guard who gets the ball. But Yogi is helping Dennis get better. He is teaching him, and telling him, ‘If you see this, do this.’ I can’t tip my hat enough to his growth and leadership abilities.”

Smith and Ferrell played alongside each other this summer, and despite the fact that the two might eventually fight for playing time, Ferrell maintained a very professional mindset.

“That’s just more weapons for us,” Ferrell said. “He can get into the lane and create. He’s got great athleticism and he can play defense. I can get off the ball little bit and move. I don’t have to create everything. It’s great for me that he’s on the team.”

After a 10-day stint with the Brooklyn Nets earlier in his rookie year, Smith played 36 games in Dallas, making 29 starts along the way due to a number of injuries that the team suffered. He made the most of his opportunity, playing 29.1 minutes per contest while averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 assists.

It appears as though there’s a shot that Ferrell and Smith could both start for Dallas this season. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban revealed that the team is developing Ferrell to be a pass-first floor general, which might open up opportunities for Smith to play off the ball from time to time.

“He’s still got to learn how to play point guard,” said Cuban last month in Las Vegas. “At Indiana he was the scorer — he would dominate the ball, he had to do everything. Now he’s going through that adjustment of when to keep it, when to pass, how to create, how to find guys. But you’re seeing here he’s gotten a lot better. He’s looking to score a lot less and making everybody else better.”

The point guard position was a major liability for Dallas last year, but in the near future, it might become an asset due to Ferrell and Smith's presumed development.