Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason named to All-Rookie Second Team

Rockets forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason were named to the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team, the league announced on Monday.

Smith, the third pick of the 2022 draft, averaged 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds while playing in 79 games this season, and he averaged close to 16 points on 47% shooting over the final 20 games of his rookie campaign.

Eason, the 17th pick of the 2022 draft, played in all 82 games as a rookie and put up 9.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest.

Smith appeared on 71-of-100 ballots and received one first-team vote, while Eason received two first-team votes and 43 second-team votes. He finished one point ahead of Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard for the final spot second-team spot.

This marks the third consecutive year the Rockets have been represented on an All-Rookie Team. Jae’Sean Tate was a first-team selection in 2021, and Jalen Green was a first-team selection last year.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, Utah’s Walker Kessler, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray, and Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin made up the first team, while Detroit’s Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, and San Antonio’s Jeremy Sochan made up the rest of the second team.