Jabari Smith Jr.

Jabari Smith Jr. is the modern power forward Houston bet on with the third pick in the 2022 draft out of Auburn — a 6'11" frame with a jump shot that looks like a guard's. The son of former NBA player Jabari Smith Sr., his calling card is a high, hard-to-block release on movement threes paired with the length to defend three or four positions, the kind of two-way versatility that fits any lineup. His early Rockets seasons were about role and consistency rather than volume, but he posted a career-best scoring year in 2025-26 and signed a five-year extension that October — a sign Houston views him as a foundational piece. The honest read on Smith: his value is less about creating his own shot and more about spacing the floor and switching everything on defense.