Houston Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. 'Lot More Sure' in Year 2
The Houston Rockets are making many strides so far this season.
After winning six consecutive games, every aspect of the team feels different for all the right reasons. One of those pillars that may be going under the radar has been the development of second-year pro Jabari Smith Jr.
Smith, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has averaged 12.3 points and seven rebounds per game, which is roughly on par with where he was a year ago. However, he is shooting over 36 percent from beyond the 3-point line to start the season, which is a far jump from his 30 percent that he was shooting a year ago. Smith believes the reason for that jump has been a boost in his confidence.
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr.
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
"This season, I'm just a lot more sure," Smith said on "Run It Back." "It was just a confidence thing for me. I just wanted to go into this season confident, get back to myself and just trust my work."
Smith's confidence as a shooter is needed for the Rockets to succeed. While attention has been quick to follow players like Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, Smith can prove himself to be a perfect fit next to those players with his defensive abilities and distance shooting.
Smith and the Rockets are off for a couple days before returning to action on Friday night against former franchise cornerstone James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers in the In-Season Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CT.
