BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Auburn All-American Jabari Smith was selected No. 3 overall by the Houston Rockets on Thursday night at the 2022 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center.
Smith, the 2022 USBWA Wayman Tisdale and NABC Division I National Freshman of the Year, became the highest draft pick in program history at No. 3.
"I'm happy to be where I'm wanted," Smith said. "I'm glad they took a chance on me, and I'm ready to get in there and show them they made the right decision."
This past season, the SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC First Team selection helped lead the Tigers to the program's first No. 1 national ranking, an SEC regular-season championship, a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the third-most wins in school history.
"I'm just going to bring a competitive edge (to Houston)," added Smith. "My shooting ability, my ability to score, my ability to guard multiple positions and just my will to win. I'm a team player."
Smith is the son of Jabari Smith Sr., who played at LSU from 1998-2000 and was drafted in the second round, 45th overall, by the Sacramento Kings in the 2000 NBA Draft. His cousin, Kwame Brown, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.
"I'm so excited for Jabari and his family," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "The fact that he gets to go to Houston, a pretty good basketball town and a really good organization, I'm excited for him. I'm happy for him. I'm absolutely disappointed that he wasn't the No. 1 player taken in the NBA Draft. That's a real prize. But he's going to go to a really good young club with really good pieces. He will be an NBA All-Star. There's no doubt in my mind."
The Tigers now boast 33 all-time NBA draft picks, including nine first-round draft picks and two NBA Lottery picks (Isaac Okoro in 2020).
Chuck Person and Chris Morris were previously Auburn's highest-ever NBA Draft Picks. Both were selected No. 4 in 1986 and 1988 respectively. Charles Barkley and Isaac Okoro were selected No. 5 in 1984 and 2020.
Smith is the fourth "One and Done" player from Auburn to enter the draft after his freshman year, joining Isaac Okoro in 2020 and Sharife Cooper and J.T. Thor in 2021.
