Houston Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Receives Small Sample Size of Victor Wembanyama

Jabari Smith Jr. and the Houston Rockets received their first look at No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in a preseason loss Wednesday night.

Jabari Smith Jr. is used to facing off against a player who is five inches taller than him. Smith jokingly said following practice Saturday afternoon that he gets the opportunity by playing Boban Marjanovic during team scrimmages inside the Toyota Center.

But when playing against San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Smith could not rely upon his battles with Marjanovic during the Houston Rockets 117-103 loss to the Spurs.

"After looking at all of the highlights and his games, it's extraordinary to see his abilities," Smith said. "You always want to play against a guy like him to see it for yourself."

Smith received a small sample size of Wembanyama during Game 2 of the Rockets' preseason series against the Spurs.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft played 20 minutes and finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Rockets began the night with Jae'Sean Tate guarding the 7-foot-4 big man. But due to coach Ime Udoka's switching scheme, Smith had his chances to defend Wembanyama.

Due to his size, Smith said he had to be physical. The results led to the French phenom shooting 3-of-10 from the field while nailing two 3-pointers. Wembanyama's length came into play by converting a one-handed slam over the top of Smith early in the third quarter.

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama dunks in front of Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

"It's something that you don't see every game," Smith said. "He's tall. And with his ability to shoot the ball, you can't contest it. You have to do your work early, be physical and try to make it tough on him."

Wembanyama's stature caught Smith off guard on the offensive end due to the space he can cover. But due to his quickness, Smith finished with a team-high 20 points on 50 percent shooting from the field inside the Frost Bank Center. 

At the 9:23 mark of the third quarter, Smith drilled a triple over the top of Wembanyama. A few possessions later, he blew past Wembanyama to score a floater despite losing his handle after receiving an unstable pass from Amen Thompson.

Smith believes the preseason battle against Wembanyama will help the Rockets get an early start to develop a game plan to defend the high-profile rookie prospect before the 2023-24 season.

Smith will have several chances to play against Wembanyama as southwest division foes. The Rockets will play the Spurs on four occasions. Houston's first official contest will come on Oct. 27 in a return to the Alamo City. 

"I am glad I got a chance to play him in preseason because a lot of people do not get to experience that length to get that head start," Smith said. "Knowing the space that he covers, how to attack him and knowing how he defends, it's good to get a feel for his game."