Every team at the NBA Draft lottery was desperate to land Victor Wembanyama, but that doesn't mean he was necessarily excited to go to every team. Although Wembanyama seems pleased to (presumably) join the San Antonio Spurs next month, his biggest reaction of the night came when he realized that he wouldn't have to end up on the dysfunctional Houston Rockets.
When the Rockets were announced to have slid down to the fourth pick, Wembanyama could hardly hold back his excitement, flashing a goofy faux scowl before breaking out in a big smile. Needless to say, the Rockets and, namely, Jabari Smith Jr. (the Rockets' third overall pick last year) took notice and receipts.
After the video of an elated Wembanyama went viral on Twitter,” Smith Jr. responded on Wednesday morning, quote tweeting the video with a simple “📝,” signifying that he's not going to just let this perceived disrespect slide.
The third overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Jabari Smith Jr. is a foundational part of the Rockets' rebuild. After a slow start to his rookie year, Smith came into his own as the season progressed and averaged 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 47.2 percent (36.5 percent from three) over his final 20 contests.
While the Rockets might be up in arms about Victor Wembanyama's shade, it's not entirely undeserved. Last season, the Rockets were a mess, so much so that veterans like Eric Gordon and John Wall felt compelled to remark on it. As such, the Rockets have cleaned out their coaching staff this offseason, canning Stephen Silas and bringing in Ime Udoka.
Hopefully, this little Twitter tiff between Smith Jr. and Wembanyama can revitalize the rivalry between the Rockets and Spurs, which was formerly one of the NBA's fiercest but has gone dormant for the last few years as both teams have languished in the lottery.
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