« He was my hero… until Golden State »: Jabari Smith Jr.’s conflicted admiration for Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant’s arrival at the Houston Rockets takes on special meaning for Jabari Smith Jr. The 22-year-old forward revealed on The Young Man and the Three podcast that the 36-year-old superstar was his favorite player growing up.

A childhood idol turned teammate

Smith Jr. didn’t hide his admiration for his new Houston teammate. « Honestly, (KD) was my favorite player… Until he went to Golden State, obviously that messed everybody up. But he was my favorite player growing up. I wanted to be him, imitate him, and do what he does on the court, » the young player shared during his conversation with host Tommy Alter and New Orleans Pelicans‘ Trey Murphy III.

This fascination stems from the similar profile of both players. « All the tall guys who could shoot… kind of wanted to be KD. That was it. Growing up, I used to look up to him a lot, » Smith Jr. explained, highlighting the 15-time NBA All-Star’s influence on an entire generation of basketball players.

Court reality more complex than expected

Now in the big league, Smith Jr. has realized how difficult it is to replicate Durant’s playing style. « Getting to the NBA and being able to work out with him was crazy, honestly. People look at him and say ‘I want to be KD’. It’s not that easy. His fluidity and precision in his movements… it’s hard to replicate, » he admitted.

This partnership between Smith Jr. and Durant places the Houston Rockets among the title favorites for the 2025-2026 season. The Texas team, which finished the 2024-2025 season with a 52-30 record and second place in the Western Conference, hopes Durant’s arrival will propel the Rockets into the exclusive circle of championship contenders.