In a draft night stunner, the Rockets picked Auburn forward Jabari Smith at No. 3 overall in the first round of Thursday’s 2022 NBA draft. The 19-year-old immediately joins last year’s No. 2 pick, Jalen Green, as the foundational pieces of Houston’s rebuild.
Smith had been widely expected to go No. 1 overall, but Orlando shocked the NBA world by selecting Duke’s Paolo Banchero, instead. Oklahoma City stayed with Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren, as expected, leaving Smith for the Rockets and general manager Rafael Stone.
In one season with the Tigers, Smith averaged 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 28.8 minutes, shooting 42.0% on 3-pointers. The 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward is considered an elite shooter with potential to be a two-way force in the NBA, given his athletic gifts and versatility.
As the roster currently stands, Smith will likely slide in as a starter at forward in Houston’s starting lineup for next season. Other presumed starters for the Rockets include Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Eric Gordon, and Alperen Sengun — who will start next to Smith as part of a revamped frontcourt (enabled by the recent trade of Christian Wood to Dallas).
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