Rockets' Tari Eason Reflects On Jordan Rising Stars Experience: 'It Was Great'
Tari Eason described the last few days as a "whirlwind." The Houston Rockets rookie from LSU was a late addition to participate in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars event in Salt Lake City Friday night.
He was added to the roster a day before the game after replacing Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren, who sustained an ankle injury before the All-Star break.
The quick turnaround was daunting for Eason. He arrived in Salt Lake City on the day of the game. But Eason did not allow travel to ruin his first experience as an All-Star participant.
"It's been dope, I am super grateful to have been in this position," Eason said. "I was happy when I got the call-up. All in all, it was a great experience. I do wish we would have gotten the win. But it's a moment I would never forget."
Eason played a role in helping Team Joakim [Noah] advance to the Jordan Rising Stars finals. Eason came off the bench and recorded two points, two rebounds and an assist in Team Joakim's 40-32 victory over Team Jason [Terry].
His teammate, Jabari Smith Jr., contributed to the win with four points and one rebound.
Eason did not receive playing time during Team Joakim's championship loss against Team Pau. But Eason said he spent the Finals hoping New York Knicks second-year guard Quentin Grimes could lift his team to a win.
Grimes scored 14 of Team Joakim's 20 points while shooting 5-of-8 from the field, 4-of-7 from behind the arc.
"I was hoping we could ride the Quentin Grimes' train all the way to the promised land," Eason said. "When you are hot like that, we had to give him the ball. He did a really good job out there. I just wanted to win."
Eason was one of the biggest snubs when the NBA released its roster for the rookie and sophomore showcase on Jan. 29.
He was disappointed.
But Eason made a statement three nights later when he led the Rockets to a 112-106 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished with a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds — a dozen of his boards came on the offensive glass.
Eason is striving to accomplish more throughout his NBA career. But next on his list of potential achievements is to return to the Jordan Rising Stars event next year as a sophomore standout.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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