Every NBA rookie has that one moment when the league’s intensity hits like a freight train. For Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., that moment came early, and it came courtesy of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In an appearance on the Old Man and the Three podcast, Smith recounted his second-ever NBA game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was tasked with guarding the two-time MVP. The game plan was clear: “Build a wall” to stop Giannis’ downhill attacks. But as Smith put it bluntly,
“There was no wall. I feel like I’m on an island, going to the bench mad… it was just nothing I could do to be honest”.
Giannis didn’t just dominate, he dismantled. He dropped 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting, adding 12 rebounds and 3 assists, while making it look effortless. Smith, still adjusting to the pace and physicality of the league, was left scrambling.
“He was coming full speed, euro step, and just dunk,” Smith said. “I just felt to a point there was nothing I could do”.
Despite the lopsided matchup, Smith held his own statistically: 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. But the emotional toll of being outmatched by one of the league’s most dominant forces was unmistakable.
“We were prepping in film, and it was just Jabari vs. Giannis. I was like, ‘Where everybody at?’” he joked.
Rather than sulk, Smith took the experience as a learning opportunity.
“It was fun,” he said postgame. “Matching up against him and competing against him, just to see how he is, it was fun”.
“We obviously saying build a wall, there was no wall.” — Jabari Smith’s “Welcome to the NBA” moment? Facing Giannis in his second game where he dropped 44 points 🤣 NEW YM3 WITH JABARI SMITH AND TREY MURPHY DROPS TOMORROW MORNING! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/SRYH35evx8
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 30, 2025
That mindset has paid off, Smith recently signed a $122 million extension with the Rockets, cementing his place as a cornerstone of the franchise.
This moment may have been humbling, but it’s also the kind of trial-by-fire that forges future stars. And if Giannis was the storm, Jabari Smith Jr. is learning how to weather it—and eventually, how to bring his own.
