Tag: Jabari Smith Sr.

Report: Thunder had promised to draft Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 2 overall

In a new interview with @MarcJSpears, the father of #Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. says his son had a promise from Oklahoma City that went unfulfilled in the 2022 NBA draft.

In an interview with Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s Andscape, the father of Houston Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. said his son had a 2022 NBA draft promise from Oklahoma City that went unfulfilled.

“They called Chet Holmgren’s name, and he lost it,” Jabari Smith Sr., a former NBA player himself, told Andscape. “Leg went to shaking. I looked at him. He is almost in tears. And I forgot that he told me that OKC (promised to draft him), so I got to keep my mouth closed about that. I talked to him, ‘Well, hey, what are you doing? Straighten your face, man. You good, you good, you good.’”

The Thunder drafted Holmgren at No. 2, which caused Smith to fall to the Rockets at No. 3 in the first-round order.

While the story doesn’t elaborate on Oklahoma City’s reasons for making a promise it didn’t keep, there’s a very plausible explanation. Until Orlando shocked the NBA world on draft night by selecting Duke’s Paolo Banchero at No. 1 overall, it was believed they were debating between Smith and Holmgren, with Smith widely viewed as the consensus favorite for the top spot.

Because Banchero wasn’t believed to be in serious consideration for the Magic, the Thunder likely didn’t anticipate a scenario where both Smith and Holmgren would be on the board for them at the No. 2 slot. Thus, they may not have anticipated much downside when it came to making a promise to both Holmgren and Smith.

But Orlando’s shocking choice created chaos in the final minutes, and it sent Smith lower in the order than expected. Understandably, that led to emotional real-time scenes in the draft room.

It’s far too early to tell whether Oklahoma City made the right decision. Smith is averaging 11.9 points and 7 rebounds in 29.9 minutes during his rookie season with the Rockets, while Holmgren has not played an NBA game after breaking his foot last summer.

Smith and the Rockets play their fourth and final game against the Thunder during the 2022-23 season on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. Houston won two of those first three meetings. Its rookie forward averaged 11.7 points (44.4% FG, 35.7% on 3-pointers, 85.7% on free throws) and 7.7 rebounds during those games.

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Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. sees blessing in hometown debut

“I thought he played well,” former NBA player Jabari Smith Sr. says of his son’s debut (17 points, 7 rebounds) with the Rockets. “I am proud of him. I am a dad, tonight.”

ATLANTA — A star-studded crowd, including actor Michael B. Jordan, were at State Farm Arena to watch the Hawks and Houston Rockets open their 2022-23 NBA seasons on Wednesday night.

Known best for his roles in “Creed” and “Black Panther,” Jordan received a loud ovation when they put his image on the arena’s big screen. One rookie player, however, received a similar ovation when he was introduced with the rest of the visiting Rockets.

Georgia native Jabari Smith Jr., a rookie forward, had a cheering section that rivaled most of the hometown Hawks. Smith was selected by Houston with the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NBA draft after completing his freshman year at nearby Auburn University.

When asked how many family members and friends he had in attendance for his rookie debut after the game, Smith smiled and said, “I can’t even tell you, but it was a lot.”

He was also surprised when he found out Atlanta would be where he started his NBA career.

“I was kind of surprised and made a call to find out if that was really the schedule,” Smith said. “I had to really make sure it was real and then I just took a moment and thanked God because a lot of people don’t get to open up in their hometown. It was a blessing.”

The former SEC Freshman of the Year finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, but believed he could have done more in Houston’s 117-107 loss to the Hawks.

“Oh my God, I got so many looks; I just didn’t knock them down,” said Smith, who played 33 minutes. “But I know that’s going to come. With me being a shooter, that’s not my first time missing shots. I’m not tripping about it at all. I saw the open shots and saw where they were coming from. It makes the game a little easier when I’ve got guards that make that pass, who believe in me.”

One of Smith’s biggest fans by stature and status was former NBA player Jabari Smith Sr., who was on hand to support his son’s debut and also watch the game he loved playing when he was Jabari’s age.

“I thought he played well,” said Smith Sr. “It is a lot of great players who got drafted in the first round and lottery picks who have done better or worse. You can’t judge a kid by their first game. If you have watched Jabari from high school up to now (NBA), you understand he got better every game. So, I am proud of him. I am a dad tonight.”

Houston will be back in action Friday for its home opener at Toyota Center versus Memphis. The game is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. Central.