Jabari Smith Jr. surprising decision to play in Summer League

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. explains surprising decision to play in Summer League

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 7/8/23

Jabari Smith Jr. was the No. 3 pick in last year’s NBA Draft and started 79 games as a rookie with the Houston Rockets, but he is still taking the somewhat unconventional decision to play in the NBA Summer League this month. He has a good reason for doing it, too.

Smith provided a great explanation for his Summer League decision on Saturday. The Rockets forward cited the team’s lack of success and his relative youth as big reasons to get more reps.

Jabari Smith Jr. on why he's playing in Summer League:

"I'm 20 years old. 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://t.co/6n0o1H51r1 pic.twitter.com/f2wvxmLmnn

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) July 8, 2023

The Rockets probably like hearing this. Most rookies understandably take the summer off after their first NBA seasons, especially those like Smith, who had a perfectly solid first season. The drive to get better is admirable and may pay long-term dividends.

Don’t take this as a sign that Smith is lacking in confidence, either.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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