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Jabari Smith sends strong message on playing in Summer League: ‘Why wouldn’t I play?’

By Andrew Hughes

Jabari Smith sent a strong message on why he is still playing in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League ahead of his second season Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Jabari Smith sent a strong message on why he is still playing in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League ahead of his second season Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /
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The reason Jabari Smith is still playing in the 2023 NBA Las Vegas Summer League despite showing star potential at the tail end of his rookie season in 2022-23 should be music to the ears of first-year Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and the Auburn family alike.

“I’m 20 years old,” Smith told Locked On Rockets’ Jackson Gatlin before saying, “Why wouldn’t I play? We were 22-60 last year. My rookie year wasn’t perfect, so why not get out here and get reps, play with my new teammates and coaches.”

https://twitter.com/JTGatlin/status/1677666124211818497

Simply put, that’s heart-of-a-champion-type talk from Smith. Having left Auburn on a sour note — shooting 3/16 from the field overall and 2/8 from the 3-point line after a 40+% shooting year from beyond the arc –, Smith knows what it’s like to have unfinished business. Following 32% overall shooting in his first month as a pro, the 2022 NBA draft’s No. 3 overall pick raised his conversion rate to nearly 50% by the final month of the season.

Jabari Smith has added motivation from a budding rivalry with Victor Wembanyama

The NBA’s No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, Victor Wembanyama, breathed a visible sigh of relief on draft night when he found out he wasn’t going to be headed to the Rockets due to Houston’s No. 4 slot. Smith took notice in a now-deleted tweet, indicating that there could be a potential Lone Star State rivalry brewing.

Smith got the better of the opening night of the Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, dropping 33 points and a buzzer-beating game-winning 3 while down two points to knock off former Auburn target-turned-G-League star Scoot Henderson and the Portland Trail Blazers. Wembanyama, on the other hand, shot 2/13 from the field and was posterized by Charlotte Hornets big man Kai Jones in his Summer League debut.

Don’t be surprised to see Smith and the Rockets get the better of this rivalry when it hits the hardwood this coming season; since No. 10 is on a mission in 2023-24.

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