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[2022 NBA Draft/1-3] Jabari Smith Jr., F, Auburn

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by J.R., Jun 23, 2022.

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htownfan_9210 Member

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RasaqBoi said: ↑

Jabari’s stats for the season prediction.

10 points
5 rebs.
Click to expand...

I’m thinking 12.5 7.2 1.8

#1521 htownfan_9210, Jul 15, 2022

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waytookrzy079 Member

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Calvin Murphy's Law said: ↑

Jabari's shooting has been personally a bit disappointing:
6/23 from 3 (26.1%) and 10/14 from the line (71.4%).
https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Jabari-Smith-II/Summary/145673
(yesterday's game, https://www.espn.com/nba-summer-league/boxscore?gameId=401451069&league=nba-summer-las-vegas, was not added at the game of this post)

I'm a bit worried that his release is not the fastest, and he's rushing it a bit as defenders are longer and quicker than what he was seen in college.
The misses also don't look the best. You'd expect a lot of rim outs, but you see a few bricks and a few short.

But he's also missing open shots and free throws.

Not really much to deduce here. Very few games, could be nerves.
But I was hoping for a bit more from him in his offensive end (conversely, I was expecting nothing on defense, and was thoroughly impressed)
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the College 3-point line is closer than the NBA. Takes time to adjust to the distance from a mental perspective than anything else

#1522 waytookrzy079, Jul 15, 2022

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waytookrzy079 said: ↑

Keep in mind that the College 3-point line is closer than the NBA. Takes time to adjust to the distance from a mental perspective than anything else
Click to expand...

I dont' have the stats on me, but my understanding is that he shot well from NBA range in college as well.
I think the speed of the game and fatigue could be potential big factors as well.

#1523 Calvin Murphy's Law, Jul 15, 2022

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Calvin Murphy's Law said: ↑

I dont' have the stats on me, but my understanding is that he shot well from NBA range in college as well.
I think the speed of the game and fatigue could be potential big factors as well.
Click to expand...

Top of my head, I want to say 45%

#1524 red5rocket, Jul 15, 2022
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robbie380 said: ↑

Not worried at all about his 3pt shooting. I agree he does probably need to make some adjustments to his shot but nothing drastic.
Click to expand...

Definitely just rushing it a bit it seems. Maybe needs to be a little more selective on when and where to pull the trigger to he doesn't feel the need to rush it. Should be an easy fix.

#1525 jakedasnake, Jul 15, 2022
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waytookrzy079 said: ↑

Keep in mind that the College 3-point line is closer than the NBA. Takes time to adjust to the distance from a mental perspective than anything else
Click to expand...

Exactly. A couple of times I saw him "push" his shot which is not his normal motion. I think he's trying to hard to "reach" the back of the rim and it's screwing him up. As soon as he's a bit stronger and more comfortable with the range his natural motion will return.

#1526 ipaman, Jul 15, 2022

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The start of Summer League was a bit more muted for Jabari Smith Jr. The No. 3 pick scored just 10 points on 10 shots in his debut, making little impact on the offensive end for significant stretches against Orlando. Smith went just 9-for-29 from the field in his first two games, and while he did post a solid 19-point, nine-rebound effort Monday night against San Antonio, his performance didn’t set social media ablaze quite like those of Banchero and Holmgren.

Don’t mistake Smith’s quieter arrival for disappointment, however. Houston’s rookie flashed an array of talents on both ends, with particular polish as a defender. As we look toward 2022–23, Smith’s greatest value as a rookie may lie outside the box score.

So what should we expect from Smith’s rookie season after his first three Summer League contests? Let’s dive into some film and take a look.

Immediate defensive impact
Smith took the mantle as the “safest” pick in the 2022 class in part thanks to a sterling defensive effort in one year at Auburn. Smith is an active and attentive defender, one who brings a controlled presence as an interior anchor. He deftly rotated and switched with ease in his first three Summer League contests, a skill that should be quickly translatable against actual NBA competition.

Smith should be far more than a mere cog in a quality defense. He sports the upside of an All-Defense player who can both protect the rim and skate on the perimeter. The latter skill is the central point of Smith’s appeal. He blends light feet with a 7'2" wingspan, and he excels at walling off the lane as he shuffles his feet toward the rim. Incoming drivers will likely have trouble shaking the young forward all year long.

Smith should help solve some headaches for Rockets coach Stephen Silas. The Rockets’ defense was, well, abysmal last season, with Houston lacking both the necessary communication and personnel to slow down opponents. Smith should help paper over the defensive deficiencies of Alperen Şengün in the frontcourt, and the addition of No. 17 pick Tari Eason adds another high-energy wing to the mix. Smith’s defensive skill set and attitude will be a welcome sight for Silas and his staff. Perhaps it will lead to a more competitive product on most nights.

Smooth shooting stroke
While Smith’s defense has been his calling card in Summer League, draft experts (including Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo) have also highlighted his innate ability as a shooter. Smith is 6'10" with a high release and an impressive knack for squaring his body to the rim off screens and handoffs. Smith is comfortable rising and firing both off the catch and off the dribble. He shot 43.5% from three as a college player, and if Summer League is any indication, he won’t struggle with the NBA three-point line.

Smith should feast on pick-and-pop attempts alongside guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. The Auburn product has a good chance to become the first rookie in NBA history to record 100 blocks and 100 threes in a season.

We shouldn’t sell Smith as a simple catch-and-shoot player. He is able to score from all three levels of the floor and his most intriguing offensive tape comes in adverse situations. Smith is a gifted shooter around the free throw line, with a smooth turnaround jumper made easier by his release point. Smith will bail out hundreds of possessions throughout his NBA career. Such a skill could prove invaluable if the Rockets can return to playoff contention in the 2020s.

Off-the-dribble questions
I’d still tap the brakes on Smith’s Rookie of the Year chances despite the strong returns in Summer League. He won’t receive the same volume of possessions as Banchero, and even if Houston didn’t have its current talented backcourt, it’s hard to envision Smith currently working as a true offensive fulcrum. His handle isn’t advanced enough to dance past quality isolation defenders, and he isn’t enough of a physical force to consistently draw double teams as a driver.

Smith excels at scoring in tight spaces and can drill jumpers off one to two dribbles. But we shouldn’t expect him to be breaking defenders down off the bounce as a rookie. Considering his advanced play in other areas, such a deficiency is a minor concern.

One last thought
The Rockets are a lottery team as presently constituted, with too much youth to compete in what expects to be a hellacious Western Conference. But there are reasons to be excited in Houston nearly two years removed from James Harden’s trade demand.

Houston’s haul of draft picks from Brooklyn looks better by the month. The tankathon of 2020–21 landed Green. Smith is the latest highly touted prospect to enter the fold, and there are intriguing supplementary pieces on board in Şengün, Porter and Jae’Sean Tate, among others. Houston should have a mountain of cap space next summer, and barring an unexpected jump, another lottery talent is on the way next June.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone turned two discontented stars and a disastrous pick situation into a future of young talent, draft equity and financial flexibility. His patience could pay major dividends across the next decade, especially if Smith pops as a potential All-NBA talent. We’ll get our first returns on that front in the coming months after an impressive Summer League debut.
Click to expand...

https://www.si.com/nba/2022/07/14/houston-rockets-jabari-smith-jr-nba-summer-league

#1527 zeeshan2, Jul 15, 2022

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I know if Jaren Jackson Jr made all defense team I know Jabari will make it in the next three years. Jackson made it because of blocking shots and Jabari can do the same but Jackson cannot shoot like Jabari

#1528 CHAMPBOY, Jul 15, 2022

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#1529 D-rock, Jul 15, 2022

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#1530 D-rock, Jul 15, 2022

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#1531 D-rock, Jul 16, 2022

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#1532 D-rock, Jul 16, 2022

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Not worried about Jabari's shot.

At all.

And his defense has been sublime.

#1533 D-rock, Jul 16, 2022
Last edited: Jul 16, 2022

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#1534 D-rock, Jul 16, 2022

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#1535 D-rock, Jul 16, 2022

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#1536 zeeshan2, Jul 16, 2022

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After tonight …. Jabari Smith defense just went up another level ! WTFO !

#1537 madbomber, Jul 16, 2022

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#1538 zeeshan2, Jul 16, 2022

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This dude defensively is already ridiculous.

All defensive team votes this year - will be selected multiple times in his career

#1539 SamFisher, Jul 16, 2022

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From the highlights he looks like a good driver.

#1540 cheke64, Jul 16, 2022

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