Considering the obvious context of being a 19-year-old rookie on one of the NBA’s worst teams, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. had a satisfactory rookie season in 2022-23. He averaged 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 31 minutes per game.
But Smith’s shooting numbers (40.8% FG, 30.7% on 3-pointers) and defensive impact weren’t what many envisioned when he came out of Auburn. That’s part of the reason he was named to the league’s All-Rookie second team, as opposed to being a first-team selection.
While attending the recent Adidas Eurocamp 2023 in Treviso, Italy, the No. 3 pick from the 2022 NBA draft spoke with HoopsHype’s Dionysis Aravantinos about several subjects.
One of those topics was Smith’s offseason workout regimen, as he seeks to improve those rookie deficiencies.
“Getting stronger,” Smith said when asked about where he can improve. “Picking my spots better, shot selection and ball handling. Overall, I think me getting stronger will help all aspects of my game. That’s been my main focus, and I’m ready to show it.”
But in terms of grading that progress, it’s less about any individual metric and more about progress for the Rockets as a team. Houston (22-60) had the league’s second-worst record last season. With growth from young players such as Smith and the potential addition of veteran free agents (such as James Harden, which Smith endorses), the hope is for a leap forward in the 2023-24 season.
“I haven’t really thought about personal goals,” Smith said. “I know that if my team wins, I’ll be doing the right thing. Keeping that in mind, try to win some games and move in the right direction.”
The complete Q&A exchange between Smith, now 20 years old, and HoopsHype’s Aravantinos can be read here.
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