Houston Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Looking Forward to First Meeting Against Chet Holmgren

One year removed from the 2022 NBA Draft, Jabari Smith Jr. will finally get his chance to play against Chet Holmgren.

HOUSTON — Jabari Smith Jr. put the disappointments of the 2022 NBA Draft behind him as soon as the Houston Rockets made him the No. 3 pick. But leading up to the draft, the chances of Smith landing in Houston were a long shot, given that the former Auburn prospect was a projected top-two pick.

Smith has played against Paolo Banchero three times after the Orlando Magic made him the top overall selection in the draft. But on Wednesday night, Smith will have a chance to play against Chet Holmgren, who the Oklahoma City Thunder drafted with the second pick.  

"For us being in the West, we are trying to help our franchises get back to winning," Smith said. "We will definitely be seeing each other for some time."

A Lisfranc injury robbed Smith of the opportunity to go up against his draftmate as a rookie. But 19 games into his career, Holmgren has lived up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders since June of 2022.

He is currently averaging 17.6 points on .531/.395/.865 shooting splits while adding 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. Holmgren's contributions have helped the Thunder put together the second-best record in the Western Conference (13-6). And despite the arrival of Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio, the 7-foot-1 point forward has emerged as the favorite to take home Rookie of the Year honors. 

His best game came during the Thunder's seven-point victory over the Golden State Warriors. Holmgren proved to be a tough matchup for any opponent by scoring a career-best 36 points on 16 of 22 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a pair of blocks inside the Chase Center.

"He is a very good basketball player," Jae'Sean Tate said. "We have to bring the physicality to him. We cannot allow him to feel good and comfortable. That's just our defensive mindset going into any game and whoever we guard."

Thunder's Chet Holmgren shoots over Warriors' Klay Thompson.  / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Ime Udoka described Holmgren as "one of the younger players on the rise," but he isn't surprised by his impressive start. Udoka became familiar with Holmgren after watching him during several summer scrimmages, which included runs with Jalen Green.

The Rockets will have a tough task trying to contain Holmgren. But Smith will also present a daunting challenge for the Thunder.

Smith has quietly put together a suitable start to his sophomore year. And over the previous seven games, Smith has displayed the skills set that made the Thunder consider him with the No. 2 pick following his pre-draft workout, averaging 14.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the field, 39.5 percent from behind the arc, and seven rebounds.

Smith has become a challenging match for opponents on the offensive end due to his turnaround fadeaway jumper. It's a shot Smith has worked on since his prep school days at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, GA. 

"It's always good to see improvements," Smith said. "My improvements have led to the team's ability to win; that's the best part. My goal is to keep improving and keep winning games."

Smith and Holmgren are not friends but share mutual respect. The 2022 Las Vegas Summer League tournament marked the only time Smith played against Holmgren on an NBA level.

The Rockets recorded a 90-88 victory over the Thunder, with Smith recording 12 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in the win.

Smith's play on defense helped the Rockets contain Holmgren, who finished the game with 10 points while missing seven out of his 10 attempts from the field — one of which resulted in a reverse layup attempt blocked by Smith.

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