Highly touted young power forward whose length, shooting and defensive ceiling have made him a cornerstone of the Houston Rockets' rebuild.
Jabari Smith Jr. was born in Sugar Hill, Georgia on 5 January 2003. A 6ft 10in power forward with exceptional length, natural shooting touch and a strong defensive profile, Smith was the consensus third overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft before landing with the Houston Rockets after the lottery. His combination of elite shot-blocking, three-point shooting range and physical tools give him an extremely high ceiling. In his first two seasons he has been developing steadily, improving his scoring while remaining one of the younger big men with the brightest long-term defensive outlook. The Rockets have prioritised building around him alongside Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green as three-cornerstones of an anticipated future contender.
Elite defensive versatility and three-point shooting as a power forward
How They Played
Modern stretch-4 with elite shot-blocking and perimeter shooting
Lasting Impact
Promising young cornerstone building block for Houston Rockets rebuild
Houston Rockets franchise cornerstone
Considered one of the best defensive prospects in years coming out of Auburn, his combination of length, shot-blocking and three-point shooting range at 6ft 10in gave him one of the highest ceilings of the 2022 Draft class.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- Houston Rockets franchise cornerstone