Jabari Smith Jr: I deserve to start this year

Sep 29, 2025 10:50 PM

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is expecting to be a starter during 2025-26 (finished last season coming off the bench after returning from a broken left hand).

(via Houston Rockets):

Reporter: “Has Ime (Udoka) talked to you about possibly returning to the starting lineup this season? And does your mentality change whether you’re coming off the bench or starting?”

Smith: “Nobody has really mentioned it to me, but I mean, I’m expecting it. You know what I’m saying? It’s something that I’ve been working on, something I feel like I deserve, something that I’m going to show that I deserve. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. You know what I’m saying? It’s something that you can see Ime really don’t care about. You know what I’m saying? He gon’ play who playing.

“So, it’s a small issue. It’s a small question that everybody has. You know what I’m saying? But at the end of the day, we a team. At the end of the day, we gon’ compete with the five that’s on the floor and that’s gon’ be what it is. But to answer your question: Nah, nobody has talked to me. That hasn’t even been mentioned yet.”