Jabari Smith Jr. keeps stacking value in Houston, even if the bigger spotlight usually lands elsewhere. The Rockets forward is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds across 77 games, and that steady production helped him earn No. 16 on HoopsHype’s list of the top 27 power forwards heading into the 2026-2027 season.
HoopsHype’s evaluation put it plainly: “For his career, Smith has a mediocre 55.3 true shooting percentage…. The saving grace for Smith is that despite his amount of time in the NBA, he’s still just 23, so there’s time for him to find another level. He does still have promise thanks to his size (6-foot-11), length (7-foot-1 wingspan), lateral quickness and ability to at times hit tough shots, even if he hasn’t been all that tidy in the NBA to this point.”
At the top of that power forward list were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Johnson, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, and LeBron James. HoopsHype noted that most of those players can also slide over and handle minutes at small forward.
Smith’s rise in Houston has been tied to how quickly the Rockets entrusted him with a starting role after selecting him third overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-11 forward moved right into the starting power forward spot and became part of the team’s shift from draft lottery status to playoff contention.
His workload last season showed just how dependable he’s become. Smith finished fifth in the league in minutes played and 18th in defensive rebounds. That consistency carried into Houston’s first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds over six games.
Even with Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson drawing plenty of All-Star attention, Smith still matters plenty to Houston’s frontcourt. The areas he still has to sharpen are ball handling and shooting efficiency, but his defense and ability to stay on the floor are valuable traits for a team trying to make a deep run in 2027. Tari Eason is expected to back him up in the rotation.
The Rockets have already made their bet on Smith’s future. He’s under contract through at least 2030, alongside Sengun, Thompson, and Eason, giving Houston plenty of time to see how high his ceiling can still climb.
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