Jabari Smith Is Having a Career Season and a Player Every Team Wants to Represent Them on and off the Court

The Houston Rockets' expectations went from continuing to move up the Western Conference and build on last season's playoff appearance to a championship contender overnight after the Kevin Durant trade. The Rockets made the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and won more games than they had since 2019. Despite the good vibes of having their best season in years, the Rockets felt their current roster was not enough to take the next step and become a title contender.

Once the Durant trade was complete, the attention immediately turned to his teammates, specifically the starting lineup and whether they would be good enough to compete for a championship. Alperen Sengun was coming off his first All-Star season, and Amen Thompson made the All-NBA First Team on defense. Fred VanVleet was expected to lead the team, but he went down with a potential season-ending injury before training camp, altering many of the Rockets' plans.

The fifth starter was more of a mystery during the offseason, as the Rockets knew they would be making additional changes to the starting lineup after VanVleet's injury, sending out both Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, two players who started the entire 2024-25 season.

As the offseason went on, the decision came down to either Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason, or Jabari Smith. Sheppard was considered because he was the team's closest player to a traditional point guard. Eason was considered because he started the majority of the games during the 2024-25 season. Smith was a candidate because of his ability not only to guard multiple positions but also to stretch the floor at times from the forward position.

The Rockets decided to start Smith because they believed he fit best with the rest of the starters, and they wanted to give Thompson a chance to show whether he could be the Rockets' point guard or if he would still be better at forward.

That meant Smith, who was going into his fourth season, would need to take a step forward as an overall player and prove he was worth the third overall pick the Rockets used on him in the 2022 draft. Smith's development has been slower than some hoped, as his fellow 2022 draftees, like Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, have had more success in the NBA so far.

Even though Smith may not have had the jump the previous two mentioned players have had, he has had steady improvement in his first three seasons, and this season is his best yet. Smith has seen improvements in most major offensive categories, and when he plays well, the Rockets normally win.

Jabari Smith is having a career year for the Rockets and is the Rockets' X factor

Smith is the type of player every coach loves to have on their team. He does all the dirty work on the defensive end. Doesn't complain when plays are not called for him, and never throws his teammates under the bus when they make mistakes.

A perfect example of Smith’s unselfishness happened last season. Smith had started every single game of his career until an injury at the beginning of January kept him out for an extended period of time. During his absence, Amen Thompson excelled at the forward position, proving his value to the team. When Smith came back from injury, the Rockets decided to have him come off the bench for the first time in his career.

Most players would have either complained about coming off the bench or, at the very least, made everyone's life uncomfortable because of hurt feelings. Smith was the opposite after finding out he would be part of the second unit. At his first practice post-injury, when asked if he cared if he started or came off the bench, this was his response.

“Just looking to get back, I have been out so long, I'm just ready to play. I dont care if I start or what, I am just ready to play .”

That is the type of player he has been since entering the NBA. This season on the court, Smith is having a career season. He is on pace for season highs in point per game, 3-point percentage, and assists. Smith has scored 15-plus points 45 times this season after doing so only 18 times all of last season. Going back to last season, the Rockets are 47-16 when Smith scores 15 or more points in a game.

Smith has shown off the court as well that he is all about putting other people first. Since coming to Houston, he has held several charity events and basketball camps throughout the year, not just during the holidays. From hosting back-to-school events to toy giveaways and passing out meals, Smith has shown he cares about the community he lives in.

In December of 2023, at the Sunnyside Community Center, Smith came out to support local students with supplies during the Back To School Bash. In December of 2024, Smith treated 40 kids from the Urban Enrichment Institute to a holiday celebration at Dave & Buster's. This past year, Smith held multiple charity events, including hosting a Thanksgiving charity event at the Julia C. Hester Community Center in Houston's Fifth Ward.

Smith continues to show he is the Rockets' X factor this season, as when he plays well, the Rockets usually win and will play a big part in their push to take the next step as a championship-contending team. However, Smith continues to prove that he is just as important in his community off the court, which is why any team would love to have him representing their franchise.