‘I wanted to be him': Jabari Smith Jr. grew up admiring new Rockets teammate Kevin Durant
Like many tall basketball players with above-average shooting ability, Jabari Smith Jr. often tried to emulate Kevin Durant. For the 22-year-old forward, Durant's archetype was something of a blueprint during his developmental years.
But unlike most of those young players, Smith now has the ability to pick his brain, as teammates on the 2025-26 Houston Rockets.
On a newly released podcast episode of The Young Man and the Three, Smith shared perspective on his affinity for Durant and what the 15-time NBA All-Star has meant to him over the years.
During a conversation with host Tommy Alter and New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, Smith said of the 36-year-old superstar:
Honestly, (KD) was my favorite player. ... Until he went to Golden State, obviously that kind of threw everyone off. But that was my favorite player growing up. I wanted to be him, emulate him, and do what he does on the court. ...
Everyone who was tall and can shoot... kind of wanted to be KD. That's what it was. Growing up, I used to look up to him a lot.
Then, getting to the NBA and being able to work out with him was crazy, honestly. People watch him and are like, 'I want to be KD.' It's not that easy. How fluid he is and how precise he is with his movements... it's hard to replicate.
The complete conversation can be viewed and listened to below.
With Smith and Durant in starting roles, the 2025-26 Rockets are among the league's championship favorites entering the season. Houston finished 2024-25 with a 52-30 record and in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference standings, and the hope is that Durant's arrival can launch the Rockets into the true top tier of title contenders.
More: As Houston teammates, Jabari Smith Jr. wants to learn from Kevin Durant
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