Stone on Smith, Eason landing on NBA All-Rookie Team: 'They are very aware that all the hard work and all the real success lies ahead'

Two members of the Houston Rockets’ 2022 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft class earned spots on the All-Rookie Second Team on Monday.

The inclusion of first-round selections Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason marks the third time in Rockets history a set of teammates represented Houston on the NBA’s All-Rookie Team, Sports Illustrated (SI) reported.

Smith, who played his college ball at Auburn University (AU), was the No. 3 overall pick last June after Paolo Banchero, the top pick nabbed by the Orlando Magic, and Chet Holmgren, the second overall pick who went to the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to a Houston Daily report.

A product of Louisiana State University (LSU), Eason heard NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call his name when it was the Rockets’ turn again to pick at No. 17.

Houston ended the first round of the draft by taking another Southeastern Conference (SEC) player in the University of Kentucky’s (UK) TyTy Washington, who became the 29th overall pick.

Citing Houston FOX affiliate KRIV, SI reported that Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said the honors are just the beginning for Smith and Eason, who were brought in to aid Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün accelerate the rebuilding process.

"They are very aware that all the hard work and all the real success lies ahead, and like the rest of our guys, they're anxious to get going," Stone said in the report. "A couple of years ago, we set out on this journey and the idea was to bring in a bunch of young talent and we think we've succeeded.”

Stone added he admits the process “hasn't been perfect.”

“Not everything always goes exactly according to plan, but we do think that we have a talented group of young guys and that we're well set up to push forward into the future,” the executive told KRIV, per SI.

Houston sports-talk radio station KBME reported that Smith started 79 games in which he averaged 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds, which is a first in NBA annals.

KBME reported that Eason saw action in all 82 games of the 2022-2023 campaign, averaging nearly 10 points and nine rebounds.

Deemed to have a 14% chance of getting the last ping pong ball in next week’s draft lottery, the Rockets hope to acquire the services of French star and top prospect Victor Wembanyama in June.