“I think Jabari Smith Jr. will have a really good year, a more efficient year,” The Ringer’s Michael Pina says of the fourth-year Rockets forward.
Among young players on the Houston Rockets, Amen Thompson won a spot on the All-Defensive First Team last season, and Alperen Sengun was a first-time All-Star who nearly earned All-NBA honors.
In 2025-26, could another prospect join them in that top tier of annual awards?
In his latest podcast, The Ringer’s Michael Pina is predicting fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. to win the league’s Most Improved Player award this season. His reasoning:
I was just really impressed with how he played in the playoffs. When the ball was in his hands in that series against the Golden State Warriors, I thought he made really quick, smart decisions. He had a one-dribble, two-dribble pullup that was true, pretty much every time. Or it felt that way, at least. He has defensive versatility.
I think he will benefit greatly from having Kevin Durant — who, in a lot of ways, his game is similar to. Not close to as good, or saying he ever will be, but similar to that archetype.
In a winning situation, assuming he starts — which I think he should — he’ll get big minutes and open shots. He’ll be defended by the opposing team’s borderline weakest defender, any time he’s on the court.
I think Jabari Smith Jr. will have a really good year, a more efficient year. Even if he isn’t averaging 17 or 18 points per game, you’ll notice the improvement if you watch the Houston Rockets play. That’s my pick, I think he’ll have a really good year.
The Rockets sent out two starters (Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks) in the July 2025 trade that brought Durant to Houston, so that should open up a spot in the starting lineup for Smith. The Auburn product, who signed a five-year contract extension with the Rockets last month, moved to the bench midway through the 2024-25 season to accomodate Thompson joining the starting lineup.
To Pina’s point on the playoffs, Smith was extremely efficient in that first-round series, shooting 50.0% overall, 45.5% on 3-pointers, and 80.0% from the free-throw line. He turned 22 years old shortly after the series concluded, so there is still plenty of time for further development.
Drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round, Smith has averaged 13.0 points (43.2% FG, 34.0% on 3-pointers) and 7.5 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game over his first three NBA seasons. For head coach Ime Udoka, Smith has already proven to be among the best and most trusted defenders on an elite defensive team — and perhaps the arrival of Durant can help unlock more on the offensive side.