Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. on Rookies: 'Most Athletic People That I've Seen'

Jabari Smith Jr. is excited to play his second season with the Houston Rockets alongside Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 5, 2023

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are priding themselves on athleticism, hoping to use that as an edge against other teams in the NBA.

They doubled down on that in this year's draft, taking Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore with their selections.

They join Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. as the "core" of the team's future. The latter of that group sung the new rookies' praises and applauded their athleticism.

"They are two of the most athletic people that I’ve seen or played with. Not just jumping, I’m talking about speed and reactions," Smith said on the "Bradeaux and Will Show." "Their instincts on defense, you can’t really teach that. ... Just that knack for the ball, that’s like a gift. They both have that.

"They were unselfish and they listen," Smith said. "They weren’t worried about their shots. They really just wanted to win. That’s what I liked most about them. They were cool to play with."

The rookies played alongside Smith at the Las Vegas Summer League and flashed major potential, especially Whitmore, who was named MVP of the showcase.

Thompson and Whitmore seem like strong fits, and both will have to contribute to the Rockets if they want to get back to the playoffs after a three-year drought.

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Published Aug 5, 2023

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.