Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (1) reacts after scoring during the second quarter of an NBA game Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, at the Toyota Center in Houston.
One of Jabari Smith Jr.’s most memorable interactions as a rookie was with LeBron James.
During his initial career encounter with LeBron James, Jabari Smith Jr. did not exhibit signs of stardom. Then-rookie with the Houston Rockets calmly approached James and informed him that he had made his NBA debut in 2003 against the father of Smith Jr., who was playing for the Sacramento Kings.
That was the moment when “King” James understood how long he had been around, even if his longevity has been the focus of his media coverage for the past several seasons. However, it seemed like he valued the recognition from the younger Smith.The full scope of Smith Jr.’s encounter with James remained a secret, even though the video of him approaching James went viral on social media. Smith Jr. shared the advise James provided him prior to the Panini Rising Stars Challenge.
“Told me to stick with it, keep working,” Smith Jr. stated. “He told me I made him feel old, so just told me to keep working.”
In his brief career, Smith Jr. has faced James in six games—three more than his father did. Despite being outscored 75-9 in three contests, his father had a 3-0 record against James from 2003 to 2005.
Throughout his career, the younger Jabari has averaged 12.9 points and 13.7 points against James, which is greater success than his father had. He and Victor Wembanyama lost the Rising Stars Challenge on Monday night to Team Detlef, which is composed of G-League players.
