Jabari Smith

Jabari Smith

21-Year-Old ForwardF
Houston Rockets
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Smith made the All-Rookie Second Team after being selected No. 3 overall in 2022, and he rounded out the edges to his game last year. Seeing just 0.9 more minutes per game (31.9), he reached career-high averages in points (13.7), rebounds (8.1), assists (1.6), steals (0.7) and all three of his shooting percentages (45/36/81). Managers who selected him around the 100th pick in fantasy leagues last year ultimately got a fine return on investment, but he didn't quite pop like optimists hoped he would. The team's usage was dominated by Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun. Dillon Brooks wasn't shy about shooting, either, leaving Smith as effectively the fourth or fifth option when all the starters were in. Optimists and pessimists alike have to answer the same question this year: What about that situation has changed? All four starters are returning, while young bench options like Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason have shown promise. That's before we get to No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard, who projects to be a playmaker, too. It would be wrong to write off Smith as a finished product, but it may be another season where his improvements really only show up on the margins. It will be difficult for him to usurp VanVleet, Green or Sengun in the pecking order. As of right now, he projects to be more valuable in fantasy as a long-term keeper piece, rather than a redraft piece. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Current Season
From Preseason
#90
ADP
$Signed a two-year, $18.21 million contract with the Rockets in July of 2022. Rockets exercised $9.77 million team option for 2024-25 in October of 2023. Rockets exercised $12.35 million team option for 2025-26 in October of 2024.
Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary

Jabari Montsho Smith Jr. was born May 13, 2003 in Tyrone, Georgia. His father played four seasons in the NBA and also played overseas. They younger Smith began playing varsity basketball as a sophomore at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone. As a junior, he averaged 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a senior, Smith averaged 24 points, 10 boards, three steals and three blocks per game and led his team to a Class 3A state runner-up finish. He was named Mr. Georgia Basketball, Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Classification Player of the Year, plus was selected to the rosters of the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. Smith also represented the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Brazil, where he averaged 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest on the way to the gold medal. A five-star recruit, Smith committed to play collegiately at Auburn. Starting 33 of his 34 appearances, Smith averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 28.8 minutes per contest as a freshman (2021-22). He was named NABC Freshman of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year, plus was on The Wooden Award All American Team and was Consensus All-American Second Team. Smith then declared for the 2022 NBA Draft, where he was selected third overall by the Houston Rockets.

Modest output in loss
FHouston Rockets
November 9, 2024
Smith logged four points (2-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-1 FT), one rebound and one block in 17 minutes during Friday's 126-107 loss to the Thunder.
ANALYSIS
Smith's results have been confounding through the first three weeks of the season after widespread predictions of a breakout campaign. He's exceeded 20 points only once this season, and his totals have been peppered with four games in the single digits. He occasionally grabs enough rebounds to offset a poor scoring performance, but the drop-off is concerning. Increased volume beyond the arc seems to be key to his higher totals, and he's made only two shots from deep over the past two games.
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Stat Review
How does Jabari Smith compare to other players?
This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
  • True Shooting %
    An advanced statistic that measures a player's efficiency at shooting the ball that takes field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three point percentage into account.
  • Effective Field Goal %
    A statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points while field goals only count for two points.
  • 3-Point Attempt Rate
    Percentage of field goal attempts from three point range.
  • Free Throw Rate
    Number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt.
  • Offensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Defensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Total Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Assist %
    An estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while they were on the floor.
  • Steal %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent possessions that end with a steal by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Block %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent two-point field goal attempts blocked by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Turnover %
    An estimate of turnovers committed per 100 plays.
  • Usage %
    An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor.
  • Fantasy Points Per Game
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Game.
  • Fantasy Points Per Minute
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Minute.
True Shooting %
49.9%
 
Effective Field Goal %
44.2%
 
3-Point Attempt Rate
49.6%
 
Free Throw Rate
26.5%
 
Offensive Rebound %
8.4%
 
Defensive Rebound %
16.4%
 
Total Rebound %
12.3%
 
Assist %
3.7%
 
Steal %
0.5%
 
Block %
1.6%
 
Turnover %
6.8%
 
Usage %
16.6%
 
Fantasy Points Per Game
21.3
 
Fantasy Points Per Minute
0.8
 
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NBA Historical Fantasy Stats
How are these ratings calculated?
Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.
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Average Fantasy Points
Average Fantasy Points are determined when Jabari Smith was active vs. non-active during the season. Click here to view average fantasy points for a different time period.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Jabari Smith See More
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18 days ago
Jeff Edgerton highlights his favorite plays for Monday's 11-game DFS slate on FanDuel, including Fred VanVleet, who has a favorable matchup against San Antonio's backcourt.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
Smith, the No. 3 overall pick in 2022, was a solid rebounder as a rookie and posted 7.7 boards per game, but he struggled with his offensive efficiency (40.8/30.7/78.6 shooting splits) and looked overmatched on both ends of the court at times. He was just 19 years old, so it's understandable he went through some growing pains, but Houston is expecting more out of the Auburn product in Year 2. Surprisingly, Smith was sent back to Summer League this year, but he quickly proved he had graduated from that level of play by posting stellar all-around numbers. The 6-foot-11 forward will look to build off that production during the regular season, but the Rockets' rotation will look much different in 2023-24 after the offseason additions of Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Smith's starting spot in the frontcourt next to Alperen Sengun is presumably secure, but it'll be interesting to see how the usage is divided up considering fellow returnees Jalen Green and Kevin Porter are also ball-dominant players. While the addition of veteran guards likely means Smith will have the ball less in 2023-24, it could also result in easier buckets for the talented finisher. Smith was drafted with the third pick because he can do everything, but he may have to focus on his rebounding and defensive production before expanding his offensive repertoire at the NBA level.
While the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft drew mixed reviews in Summer League, he will almost certainly open the year as Houston's starting power forward next to Alperen Sengun. In terms of his basketball situation, Smith should be in a great position to see a ton of minutes as a rookie. Houston moving on from Christian Wood clears the way for a Sengun-Smith frontcourt of the future, and there is not much depth beyond that pairing. However, Smith could begin the year as the No. 4 option behind Jalen Green, Kevin Porter and even Sengun. Smith is not an inherently ball-dominant player, so where he settles in that pecking order will be with monitoring very closely early in the season. Ultimately, he's a rookie with a relatively high floor but also a relatively low ceiling.
More Fantasy News
Lackluster performance in win
FHouston Rockets
November 5, 2024
Smith added seven points (3-8 FG, 1-5 3Pt), six rebounds and an assist across 22 minutes in Monday's 109-97 win over New York.
ANALYSIS
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Solid outing in win
FHouston Rockets
November 1, 2024
Smith chipped in 14 points (5-10 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds and one steal in 29 minutes during Thursday's 108-102 win over the Mavericks.
ANALYSIS
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Grabs 16 boards against Memphis
FHouston Rockets
October 25, 2024
Smith supplied 14 points (5-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 16 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 35 minutes during Friday's 128-108 win over the Grizzlies.
ANALYSIS
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Pulls down 10 boards Tuesday
FHouston Rockets
October 16, 2024
Smith finished with eight points (4-13 FG, 0-5 3Pt), 10 rebounds and five assists across 25 minutes in Tuesday's 118-98 preseason win over the Pelicans.
ANALYSIS
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Leads Houston with 24 points
FHouston Rockets
April 4, 2024
Smith closed Thursday's 133-110 loss to the Warriors with 24 points (8-17 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds and two assists across 32 minutes.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Back-to-back Rising Star
FHouston Rockets
January 31, 2024
Smith is among 10 second-year players selected to participate in the Rising Stars Game at NBA All-Star Weekend.
ANALYSIS
Smith will return to the Rising Stars Game after also appearing in the contest as a rookie last year. Smith is the only member of the Rockets represented, though young dynamo Cam Whitmore is beginning to make a compelling case, while Amen Thompson has flashed talent in Houston as well.
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