Tari Eason has yet to make his official NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. Even when that special time comes in mid-October, though, it may not surpass personal significance of what the 21-year-old experienced on Saturday at Jamal Crawford's Seattle Pro-Am.
Playing on the team opposite LeBron James, Eason intentionally sought out an individual matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers superstar in what his mother called “the greatest moment of my son's life—and it's not even close.”
Eason's mom on what Tari's mindset was while guarding LeBron 👇 pic.twitter.com/2coPA7DPAs
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) August 21, 2022
James wasn't the only star to grace the CrawsOver with his presence on Saturday in one of the most highly anticipated games of the amateur summer circuit.
Boston Celtics franchise player Jayson Tatum and the first two picks in the 2022 draft, Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic and Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder, also took part in the action. Atlanta Hawks guard DeJounte Murray, a first-time All-Star last season, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon and former All-NBA point guard Isaiah Thomas played in Crawford's pro-am, too.
Unfortunately, the game was called early due to condensation on the floor from an overpacked gym making playing conditions unsafe. Don't feel too bad that Eason's “greatest moment” was cut short, though. He'll no doubt have ample time to battle his childhood idol over the next few seasons in the NBA.
At 6'8, 216 pounds with long arms, rare athleticism and underrated strength, Eason was one of the most disruptive defenders in college basketball last season while coming off the bench at LSU. He ultimately projects as a major plus on that side of the ball, making life hard on superstar wings like James in isolation while wreaking havoc as a helper.
Will Tari Eason be able to do it as a rookie? A helpful glimpse into finding out will come on January 16th, when the Rockets and Lakers face off in 2022-23 for the first time.
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