Inside The Rockets

Houston Rockets' Fred VanVleet to Jabari Smith Jr.: 'Keep Your Head Up!'

“Keep your head up," Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet said. "If you want to be that guy, then you got to be that guy all the time."

Jeremy Brener

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The Houston Rockets are not off to the greatest start in the NBA season. After a 30-point loss on opening night to the Orlando Magic, the team lost a tight one in overtime to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

In particular, second-year pro Jabari Smith Jr. took the loss pretty hard.

Veteran Fred VanVleet offered some advice to Smith in his postgame comments.

“Keep your head up," VanVleet said. "If you want to be that guy, then you got to be that guy all the time. I've certainly been there. I've had my share of bad plays over my career but keep your heads up. That's what you got teammates for, for us to be there for you and we're going to live with those shots. We're going to live with those plays. You just got to stay tough and stay confident. We'll band together as a team.” 

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith and teammate Fred VanVleet
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith and teammate Fred VanVleet / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

This is part of why the Rockets spent the money in free agency to sign VanVleet. Not only is he able to run the offense with a steady hand on the court, but he can also help guide the young core players on the team throughout the trials and tribulations of the NBA season and careers.

Smith is still only 20 years old and has a lot of room for growth, and there's hope that VanVleet (along with other veterans) will be able to help him grow a little quicker.

Smith, VanVleet and the Rockets host the Golden State Warriors tonight for the team's home opener. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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