Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Breaks Historic Record During Rookie Season
Houston Rockets power forward Jabari Smith Jr. has been the talk of the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League tournament for averaging 35.5 points over the first two games. Smith, along with teammate Tari Eason, were recently shut down from Summer League play as a safety net for the regular season.
Smith's first season was far from memorable. The rookie prospect from Auburn University struggled during the first half of the 2022-23 season. He averaged 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. Nothing eye-opening, but his double-double numbers definitely are.
According to Statmuse, Smith's 16 double-doubles are the most by a Rockets rookie since 7-foot-6 center Yao Ming in 2003.
However, history didn't stop there.
Smith's 16 double-doubles were the most by a teenage forward (in a single season) in NBA history. The rest of the leaderboard...
14 — Anthony Davis, Cliff Robinson
13 — Marvin Bagley
12 — Kevin Garnett
11 — Carmelo Anthony
The 6-foot-10, 20-year-old hopes to translate his Summer League play into the regular season. His fellow starters will likely include Rockets free agent pickups Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.
The new duo's defensive efforts reflect Smith's eagerness on the boards. Eason is also an excellent defender who Brooks looks forward to working with next season.
New Rockets coach Ime Udoka aims to use his winning defense and rebounding playstyle in Houston, and he just might have the tools to succeed once again.
You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.
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