Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Still Has Room for Improvement

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is going into his third season with the team, and he's hoping it's the best year yet.

Often forgotten in the sea of young Rockets prospect, Smith hopes to prove that he can live up to his former No. 3 overall pick status and become a key player for a contender in the NBA.

"It kind of feels like people are a bit lower on Smith nowadays, but I’m not. His offensive efficiency across the board was better last season, and he even grabbed 8.1 rebounds per game. I also like that he has been available through his first two seasons, playing in 76 games or more in each. He’s going to be able to shoot it at a very high level from 3 sooner rather than later, I believe, and I think his defense will continue to improve with time," The Athletic's Kelly Iko writes.

Smith Jr., 21, averaged 13.7 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and just over 36 percent from beyond the 3-point line. Both of those numbers jumped much higher than his rookie season, showing signs of growth and development.

If Smith Jr. can continue along that trajectory he has set for himself, he will become a massive part of what the Rockets are about and a contract extension that will keep him in Houston for a long time won't be far off the horizon.

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