THE HOUSTON ROCKETS DRAFTED JABARI SMITH JR. WITH THE 3RD OVERALL PICK IN THE 2022 NBA DRAFT AFTER HE FINISHED HIS FRESHMAN SEASON FOR THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY TIGERS IN AUBURN, ALABAMA IN THE SEC IN NCAA DI COACHED BY BRUCE PEARL. IN THE 2021-22 CAMPAIGN FOR THE TIGERS, JABARI AVERAGED 16.9 POINTS AND 7.4 REBOUNDS WHILE SHOOTING 42.9% FROM THE FIELD, 42% FROM DEEP AND 79.9% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE PER GAME. HE SCORED 576 POINTS, GRABBED 252 REBOUNDS, DISHED OUT 68 ASSISTS, HAD 37 STEALS, BLOCKED 35 SHOTS AND MADE 79 THREES. HIS GAME HIGH IN POINTS WAS 31, HIS GAME HIGH IN REBOUNDS WAS 15, HIS GAME HIGH IN ASSISTS WAS 5, HIS GAME HIGH IN STEALS WAS 4, HIS GAME HIGH IN BLOCKS WAS 4 AND HIS GAME HIGH IN MADE THREES WAS 7. HE WAS THE 2021-22 USBWA WAYMAN TISDALE NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, WAS THE 2021-22 NABC DIVISION I FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR AND WAS THE 2021-22 SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR.