Auburn Tigers News: Auburn basketball schedules Duke, Jabari Smith on AU-NBA family
In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, Auburn basketball schedules Duke for the SEC/ACC Challenge and Jabari Smith talks about the Auburn family in the NBA
The matchups are set for this year's SEC/ACC basketball challenge, and the Auburn basketball team will be facing off against fellow blue-blood Duke. The Tigers will travel to Durham, North Carolina, on November 4 to take on the Blue Devils. Coincidentally, Alabama will play UNC just 12 miles away in Chapel Hill on the same night.
The last time Auburn basketball played at Duke's Cameron Indoor was in December of 1981, but the Tigers more recently played the Blue Devils in 2018 at the Maui Invitational.
"It's hard to put in perspective exactly what this opportunity means for our Auburn Basketball program," head coach Bruce Pearl said, per Auburn Athletics. "To be selected by ESPN and our conference, to compete against one of the greatest programs in the history of college basketball, is tremendous recognition for where our program is at right now. It's also a tremendous responsibility.
Jabari Smith talks about the Auburn family in the NBA
Though Jabari Smith Jr. is arguably the most talented player to come through the Auburn basketball program in the past few years he is not the only Tiger to have made it to the NBA. Smith, who just finished up his second season in the league, is joined by former Auburn basketball players Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chuma Okeke (Orlando Magic), JT Thor (Charlotte Hornets), and Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz).
While he was in town last weekend putting on a youth camp in Loachapoka, Smith talked to the media about what it's like to play in the NBA with other Auburn guys, including his former teammate Walker Kessler.
"It's like a little family," Smith said, per Auburn Undercover. "When you're playing against them, it's cool. … Walker (Kessler) was my teammate, so it's always fun playing against him. Chuma (Okeke) always shows me love after the game — Chuma and Isaac, I didn't necessarily play (at Auburn) with them, but we've been back here at the same time, playing pickup, building a close relationship through Auburn. It shows what a tight-knit group it is."
Smith insists that he is not where he wants to be yet and is still working to improve his game, but the young player has a bright future ahead of him. In the 2023-24 season with the Houston Rockets, Smith started all 76 games and averaged 13.7 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.