Houston Rockets PF Tari Eason Eyes Improvement on Defense

“I want to be the best defender in the NBA at some point,” Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason said.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 9, 2023

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Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is entering his second NBA season, and he's hoping to take another stride in the right direction, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

“I want to be the best defender in the NBA at some point,” Eason said. “I truly believe I can be. I will be. I just got to work, and the rest will fall into place. As far as effort and taking pride on that end of the floor, that’s kind of my calling card. I want to be the best defender I can be.”

Eason, 22, averaged 9.3 points and six rebounds per game in his rookie season with the Rockets. He also established himself as a strong defensive presence with his 6-8 frame and his ability to guard multiple positions.

Tari Eason LeBron James Lakers — Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason defending Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

He flexed some of those defensive muscles in the Summer League, recording four blocks in the team's opening win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Rockets finished 29th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, and in order to improve from that mark, Eason will have to play a large role.

With new coach Ime Udoka, old habits are expected to become extinct as he tries to implement his systems that mirrored the Boston Celtics team he led to the NBA Finals in 2022.

If Eason can become a sponge in Udoka's new defensive system, he may inch closer towards becoming the NBA's best defender.

Eason and the Rockets open the preseason on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

Published Oct 9, 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.