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With Jabari Smith Jr. signing a gargantuan contract extension with the Rockets through 2028, the online reactions certainly held their own against the numbers. The 21-year-old was picked third in 2022 and occasionally showed obvious flashes of brilliance, but the thunderclap into full stardom is yet to happen. The Rockets took a chance on him, but the internet is pretty much against him.
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The announcement came through SportsCenter with an accompanying hype highlight video for Smith Jr., captioned, “JABARI SMITH JR. GOT PAID 💰.” On the screen appeared a celebratory graphic of Smith mid-game, his grimace almost intense, as though he saw into the payland days ahead. While the front office of the Rockets was likely popping champagne, social media, of course, had something to say.
One user came with a volley: “They pay people before they even perform.” This came as a rather succinct response summarizing a lot of people’s doubts about doling out nine-figure deals to young players based on upside alone. Another one unceremoniously said: “On my life he not worth this fuccin much.” Honestly, that typo made the critique even stingier. Potential versus actual production is what gags people.
Then came the philosophical: “Wasn’t too long ago $122M was reserved for absolutely nobody. Even farther back, it was reserved for superstars only. Today it’s reserved for guys on the team we have high hopes for. The NBA is playing with fake money.” Oof. That stinger-wielder is not far from hitting the truth—salary caps keep going up and so do contracts for players not worthy of an All-NBA nod.
There were even a few voices raised in defense. “Rockets make more than enough revenue; they’re a large market team; they can afford this pay; and dudes got potential,” went one argument. Indeed, the second one added, “He’s 21 with the potential of KD,” which is quite a bold comparison, but… optimism sells.
The best response? “At that rate sign a Burger King employee for 3 years at $7,000,000,” said one. Harsh, but when you’re talking about $122 million for a guy averaging 13 PPG last season, the jokes write themselves.
Then, “122 million says Houston believes in Jabari Smith Junior’s character as much as his potential. Now we will see what kind of leader he becomes when the real pressure hits—carrying franchise expectations instead of just developing his game.” That’s the kind of thing these deals tend to be on—bets on maturation, culture, and the hope that a kid becomes the guy.
Of course, tons of Rockets fans are jubilant. One fan posted a clip of Smith hitting a three with the caption: “This was a very smart move by the Houston Rockets,” while another went on to say, “Jabari has a very bright future” alongside a highlight reel.
The overarching theme, however, was this ugly mix of admiration and disbelief at the present NBA contract landscape: “Elite level scamming I respect it.”
Whether Smith will side with the skeptics or become their cautionary tale, and until the former, the internet will ensure that his payday will never be forgotten.
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So, here it is: Another young prospect warranting upfront generational wealth, another fanbase keeping its breath, and another offseason controversy landed to continue raging until the games commence. Rockets are all-in on Smith. Now let’s watch see if he and the bag match up.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
