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Watch: Rockets' Tari Eason Shows Progress Following Season-Ending Injury
Houston Rockets' Tari Eason showcased his on-going development following a season-ending leg injury.
HOUSTON -- The 2023-24 season has been difficult for Tari Eason. A wounded leg sustained during the Houston Rockets' preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 10 resulted in a season-ending injury.
Eason had season-ending surgery on March 3 to resolve an ongoing leg injury. The surgery was going to keep Eason sidelined for four months. However, he recently posted his ongoing rehab proccess on social media, which featured him dunking.
Dec 26, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) dunks against the Indiana
Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
"When the game is taken away from you, you start to put things into perspective," Eason said. "While injured and it's a struggle mentally, I'm still in the best position I've been in financially. I'm taking care of my mother, brother and grandmother. I am doing everything I wanted to do outside of basketball as a child."
Eason has never been in a position where he had to miss an extensive amount of games due to an injury. And there have been moments he felt the need to accelerate his recovery. Eason was one of 10 players who played in 82 games during the 2022-23 season, a feat he accomplished as a rookie.
He began the season missing seven of the first 12 games. And after his return, Eason played through significant pain before the Rockets decided to shut him down following their 23-point victory over the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 1.
His emotions have been similar to the injury-plagued year Jae'Sean Tate had last season, where an ongoing ankle injury limited him to 31 games.
In 22 games played, Eason established himself as a major part of coach Ime Udoka's rotation, averaging 9.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
