Jabari Smith Jr. Reveals Takeaways From Rockets Teammate Kevin Durant

Smith takes inspiration from the Houston's op scorer

Apr 3, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) congratulates Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) after a play against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Since being drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jabari Smith Jr. has become a key part of the franchise’s core. Last season, Smith averaged 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds over 77 games.

While the 23-year-old will be entering his fifth year in the NBA, he is still a relatively young talent. Playing alongside 16-time All-Star Kevin Durant, Smith has an opportunity to learn from one of the greatest basketball players of his generation.

In an interview with Space City Home Network’s Ryan Hollins, Smith expressed that he has made a change to his playing style over the summer.

“Just like playing lower. Something I took away from KD is how low he plays, the type of pace he plays, the flow he plays with. I think the best way for me to work on that was to play against live bodies.”

Smith also conveyed that he focused on improving his footwork for the upcoming season.

“I didn’t want to gain too much weight and lose my agility and mobility because that was a big part of my summer. Working on my feet and being able to guard those smaller players. Just getting quicker. I keep talking about KD but his feet are amazing.”

"Did you grow again?"@TheRyanHollins talks with Jabari Smith Jr as he enters year 5 in the NBA

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— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) September 27, 2026

Veteran Leadership

With Smith citing Durant as an influence for his offseason workouts, it is clear that Durant’s presence has had a positive impact on the Rockets. At 37 years old, he is one of the franchise’s top performers in addition to being a seasoned veteran.

Last season, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games. He earned All-NBA Second Team selection and finished in the top 10 in Clutch Player of the Year voting.

While Durant is on the path to showing a similar level of longevity to LeBron James, his championship window shortens with each passing year. The two-time champion has not made an NBA Finals appearance since 2019.

Although the Rockets are coming off a first-round playoff elimination by the Los Angeles Lakers, the franchise is heading into the 2026-2027 season with a lot of upside. In addition to Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have the potential to earn All-Star selections in 2027.

Overall, there is a high sense of optimism for a Rockets team coming off a 52-30 regular season record. It is still unknown what the core can accomplish at full strength.