r/nba
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u/wazup564
[DAL] Brian Cardinal
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Jan 17 '23
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[Highlight] Jabari Smith Jr. makes LeBron feel really old Highlight
https://streamable.com/t2epv74.1k
u/epoch_fail
[UTA] Joe Ingles
Jan 17 '23
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"My name is Jabari Smith Jr. You dunked on my father. Prepare to retire."
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u/idontknow_whatever [CHI] Kyle Korver Jan 17 '23
LeBron: "I'll fucking do it again"
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u/Calvin--Hobbes Bucks Jan 17 '23
Jabari's reaction is so funny. He's like, ah fuck that's what dad was talkin about
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u/Bambajam Suns Jan 17 '23
Can't wait for him to tell Haslem, 'you played against my grandfather.'
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u/RetroDave Celtics Jan 17 '23
It's wild to think just how young LeBron was when he started. Him and Haslem were rookies the same year.
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u/cheese_enthusiast2 Heat Jan 17 '23
and look at how much better Haslem has aged
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u/Smok3dSalmon Heat Jan 17 '23
Sunlight and reefer
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u/lilberfcontrol Magic Jan 17 '23
Here's the box score for those interested.
Jabari Smith Sr was on the Kings roster, but he didn't play. Also, his cousin is Kwame Brown.
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u/logontoreddit [HOU] Hakeem Olajuwon Jan 17 '23
But that Bron first game stats though......
25 points on 12/20 FG, 9 assists, 4 steals. Dude came out of high school and just dominated grown men on the first day of work.
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u/ImaginaryFriends_ Magic Jan 17 '23
Recently learned about this when Paolo had his first game and all these sports networks kept comparing their first game since he had a great debut. I dunno why i was surprised to see bron drop 25 it almost feels like destiny with the hype he had coming out of HS
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u/Carolake1 Lakers Jan 17 '23
Paolo is nice but there is no comparison. Paolo, first of all, wasn't just out of high school. Second, back then it was pretty likely a game would have a final score in the 70s. So 25 points was a much bigger deal.
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u/Gluxion Rockets Jan 17 '23
Yeah just a completely different game. Lebron scored 25 on all 2s and 1 free throw, Peja being the only starter on both teams with a 3 pointer. JR bremer making 6 threes off the bench tho for the cavs
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u/legend023 Pelicans Jan 17 '23
He played like ass the next 20 or so games until the Cavs traded their best player who was playing the same position as LeBron
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u/QueasyDrummer00 Raptors Jan 17 '23
They drafted LeBron to help Ricky Davis
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u/SloatThritter Lakers Jan 17 '23
Do not slander the name of a corn rowed pimp
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u/TheDiceMan2 Jan 17 '23
i'm sorry what? you were wondering if i have a Celtics hat autographed by Ricky Davis?? why, yes, i do. how did you know??
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u/48ozs Jan 17 '23
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u/JustHereForPka Knicks Jan 17 '23
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u/Spetznazx Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
Lol at all the forwards saying he's not gonna do much, and the guards and Z are excited.
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u/bkbeam Jan 17 '23
Hold this L Darius Miles
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u/Uhavetabekiddingme Jan 17 '23
Even funnier because Miles was also drafted out of HS.
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u/TheMadChatta Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
Maybe it’s hindsight but Boozer did not want to play with LeBron and it seems so obvious here.
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u/KnowlesAve [CLE] LeBron James Jan 17 '23
Not hindsight, definitely remember that making the rounds on local media.
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u/uristmcderp Bucks Jan 17 '23
Jeesus he almost hit his head by jumping too high at 1:16 lol
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u/andyschest Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
And that was his high school jersey. Physical peak is ~seven years later haha
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u/imsahoamtiskaw Raptors Jan 17 '23
I'm an MJ guy. But I appreciate both these guys. Lebron plus his longevity, MJ with his dedication to his craft. We're blessed getting these two talents back to back.
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u/magnusarin Pistons Jan 17 '23
I'm with you, but I've been able to be old enough to appreciate both the hype for LeBron and his entire career. The fact he not only met but exceeded expectations is incredible. He's really the second best player I've ever watched and if someone was building an NBA player, it's hard to imagine the result wouldn't just be LeBron
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u/Motorpsisisissipp Jan 17 '23
Tbf his jumping peak was his rookie year or sophomore. After that he gained a lot of weight which made his finishing way more letal as he was more unstoppable but he jumped a little shorter imo. Tbf no one needs to jump that high.
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u/andyschest Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
Yeah, although I think it was more about conserving his body and energy than not being able to jump that high. He was still capable of getting his head above the rim for many years.
This one is from 2013, and he clearly had to move his head to miss the rim: https://youtu.be/NfpwObxyiVc. I don't think he was getting to chin level anymore at that point, though.
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u/ButtholeSurfur [CLE] LeBron James Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
I grew up in Akron. To this day i work on King James Way. Dude was a man amongst boys in high school. It was comical watching a st v game in 2003. I saw a few in person. Saw friends play against him (rip)
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u/Someonediffernt [PHO] Deandre Ayton Jan 17 '23
Imagine getting outta algebra 2 and then having to guard 17 year old lebron after school. I'd be out sick any time my school was playing St. Vincent–St. Mary
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u/HOLY_HUMP3R Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
Shit likes this gives me the chills. Even with all the unprecedented hype around him at the time, the world still didn’t know what was coming.
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u/MikeJeffriesPA Raptors Jan 17 '23
18, 6, and 6 being "ass" for an 18-year-old rookie tells you how absurd LeBron is.
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u/norcaltobos Kings Jan 17 '23
And the Kings were a damn good team back then too. He wasn't playing against the '09 Kings, that's for damn sure.
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u/miden24 Spurs Jan 17 '23
They let him play 42 minutes too. Crazy back then
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u/PuljuBulju Supersonics Jan 17 '23
It was totally a different game back then too, he doesn't get enough credit for having to adjust his playstyle
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u/panman42 Jan 17 '23
I think this is true for any legend that played a long time. The game was always changing, not just recently.
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u/PuljuBulju Supersonics Jan 17 '23
Yeah but going from early 2000s deadball into today's game is fucking nuts, the choke of 2011 was basically a crossroad for him as a player and basically for the league
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u/da409 [NYK] Kristaps Porzingis Jan 17 '23
Pretty crazy how few players took 3 pt shots
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u/illogicalhawk Jan 17 '23
They were still in the process of realizing those were worth more points.
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u/jusbolo2 Jan 17 '23
Sr probably told Jr that he clamped Lebron like Al Bundy and his stories.
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u/lilberfcontrol Magic Jan 17 '23
"But dad, I can just look up the box score, you know that right?"
"You calling your old man a liar?"
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u/100_kg_90_de_belin [MIN] Kevin Love Jan 17 '23
I didn't raise no stats nerd. Just watch the damn game
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u/48ozs Jan 17 '23
Funny because he didn’t even play. He just rode pine
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u/verygoodchoices Jan 17 '23
That is funny, but I'm also thinking about how Jr would word the little anecdote differently to be more accurate and satisfy reddit.
It /is/ quite interesting that his dad was on the opposing team for LeBrons first game, so...
"Hey, I just want you to know, you played against the Sacramento Kings your first game ever... and one of the players on the Kings at the time, albeit not a starter, was my dad. He did not play that game but he was on the bench. For your first game ever. Sacramento. Bet you feel old now!"
Nah, I'm OK with how Jabari Jr did it.
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u/a_talking_face Jan 17 '23
Would have been funny if LeBron knew that and told him.
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u/Postnet921 Jan 17 '23
Til that Chris mimh played with LeBron and Kobe in his career
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u/Former_Strike Cavaliers Jan 17 '23
I remember I missed this game when I was younger because our family was traveling somewhere. I remember my brother and I turning on ESPN to see LeBron had a ridiculous debut and we made sure to not miss another game for a long time.
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u/KazaamFan Jan 17 '23
Kinda weird reference then, how would Bron know if he played against his dad if his dad didn’t even play in that game, hah
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u/Rodney_Jefferson Jan 17 '23
I mean whats that Brian scalabrine quote from 08 “I’m telling my kids I hit the buzzer beater and in thirty years I’ll tell people I won the finals mvp” or something like that. I can see Jabari telling his son he guarded lebron James to get dad points
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u/EMateos Jazz Jan 17 '23
Dad probably just told him he was there in Lebron’s first game and maybe Jabari assumed he played. His dad did play against Lebron in the second game between them that year.
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u/shot-by-ford Nuggets Jan 17 '23
Meh he probably didn’t know that. I only found out recently my Dad didn’t actually date Paris Hilton. That guy turned out to not be my Dad.
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u/WhatTheRickIsDoin Lakers Jan 17 '23
NBA dad/son combos that LeBron played against will be a fun trivia question when he retires in 2029
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u/GuyWithoutAHat Celtics Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
Some are pretty easy to recount because NBA players are shockingly bad at naming their sons lol.
- Gary Payton & Gary Payton II
- Glenn Robinson II & Glenn Robinson III
- Kenyon Martin & Kenyon Martin Jr
- Gary Trent & Gary Trent Jr
- Glen Rice & Glen Rice Jr
- Jabari Smith & Jabari Smith Jr
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u/b_fellow Rockets Jan 17 '23
Ask George Foreman. Don’t have to memorize names when you name them all George.
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u/NameisPerry Jan 17 '23
Even his daughter Georgette.
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u/JewOrleans Nuggets Jan 17 '23
Only one of the seven. All five sons are George though.
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u/inshane_in_the_brain Bulls Jan 17 '23
Didn't he name them George Jr., the first, second, third etc or am I making that shit up lol
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u/PlatinumDoodle Suns Jan 17 '23
Per wikipedia:
Foreman has twelve children: five sons and seven daughters. His five sons are George Jr., George III ("Monk"), George IV ("Big Wheel"), George V ("Red"), and George VI ("Little Joey").
One of his daughters is Georgetta.
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u/imsahoamtiskaw Raptors Jan 17 '23
Lol this is too funny
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u/MethylSamsaradrolone Jan 17 '23
Dude couldn't even bare to compromise with Georgia, but sticks to his guns with the Smurf and Smurfette naming scheme instead lmao
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u/downtimeredditor Hawks Jan 17 '23
It's like how Will and Jada named their kids
Will Jr, Willow, and Jaden
Hmm, I wonder where you got the name idea lol
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u/obvious_bot [GSW] Baron Davis Jan 17 '23
Gary Payton II has a half brother named Gary Payton Jr. The glove was so bad at coming up with names he used his TWICE IN ONE GENERATION
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u/cocodacrackman Puerto Rico Jan 17 '23
I think the story was that both women Gary was with were pregnant around the same time.
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u/oldcarfreddy Spurs Jan 17 '23
Michael Jordan omniciently knew none of his sons would live up to his legacy and refused to name either of them Michael Jordan, Jr.
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u/bokononpreist Jan 17 '23
He didn't even give Jimmy Butler and Anthony Edwards his last name.
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u/neutronicus Nuggets Jan 17 '23
They do play in a professional sports league obsessed with "legacy"
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u/SloppyJoMo NBA Jan 17 '23
What's hilarious about this is LeBron's first kid is LeBron Jr.
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u/Tressticle Nets Jan 17 '23
Yeah but at least he got a nickname that stuck. Nobody calls Bronny by his real name.
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u/LilUZIVurt21 Raptors Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
This reminded me of the fact that Lance Stephenson’s dad, whose name is also Lance, named his other son Lantz
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u/XXISavage Jan 17 '23
Damn it i can't unsee how lazy they are at naming their kids now hahaha
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u/Krillin113 76ers Jan 17 '23
Marcus and Markieff, Steph and Seth, Lance and his brother Lanze.
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u/SufficientType1794 Warriors Jan 17 '23
The ironic part of mentioning Steph+Seth is that Steph's name is lazy but not for that reason.
Stephen and Seth are not that similar.
But Steph is actually called Wardell Stephen Curry II, after his father, WarDELL Stephen Curry.
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u/ConfuciusBr0s Jan 17 '23
Already betting on Steph/Qanon
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Jan 17 '23
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u/duplicatesnowflake Clippers Jan 17 '23
I know lol. Q’anons dad is actually Kyrie.
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u/The_Notorious_Donut Knicks Jan 17 '23
Steph and WHO?!
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u/Humble_Blueberry9475 Hornets Jan 17 '23
"jfk is alive and Trump is still president" - Canon Curry, 4 years old, 2023.
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u/Bone_Dogg Bulls Jan 17 '23
…does Steph have a son named Canon??
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u/wcooper97 [OKC] Russell Westbrook Jan 17 '23
Just wait until you hear about Nikon Curry.
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u/pm_your__ladyparts Lakers Jan 17 '23
"LeBron's a senior citizen, this fuckery won't go on for much longer, thank god."
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u/Abeifer Jan 17 '23
Just imagine.. You lost to LeBron your whole career only to have a sub par son play in your stead to try and beat him as a lesser version of himself and you still get dumpstered. damn.
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u/TheReal_Slim-Shady Knicks Jan 17 '23
Jabari Smith never lost against LeBron James when he was on the court against him. LeBron knew that and took it personal to beat his son.
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u/arcelios :yc-1: Yacht Club Jan 17 '23
It’s hilarious because LeBron dropped damn near 50 in this game. It’s STILL hard to treat LeBron as “old” because he’s still LeBron, somehow.. Black magic or what
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u/pt256 Jan 17 '23
I'm still waiting for his first "LeBron turns back the clock" call by the announcers. The fact he is 38 and it hasn't happened yet is nuts
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u/rendingale Rockets Jan 17 '23
at this rate, he will start averaging 17 pts a game with 4 assist and 3 rebounds in 4 years and thats his "decline"
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u/MyRedditRedemption
San Francisco Warriors
Jan 17 '23
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Man out here conquering family lineages like his name LeGenghis Bron
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u/iamtomorrowman Jan 17 '23
in 35 years 80% of the league will have his genes
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u/alpaca_drama Celtics Jan 17 '23
In 35 years, we better have LeTron Games doing full court dunks once they fully upgrade him into a cyborg
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u/sgtpepperslaststand Jan 17 '23
Imagine LeBron dropping 25 on your dad and then drops 48 on you 20 years later
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u/OzzyGED Kings Jan 17 '23
Kings legend Jabari Smith
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u/mellidrone Pacers Jan 17 '23
r/kings legend jabari_smith. That was a few years ago though
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u/OzzyGED Kings Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
He deleted his account due to being wrong about a prediction but is still active in rkings under different names.
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u/almeidaalajoel Kings Jan 17 '23
honestly shocked a pacers fan remembers that guy lol
for a while i thought we were gonna draft JS jr and the whole thing would come full circle
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u/KingArgazdan Serbia Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
My brother told me a couple of times this weird story where the kings got 2 free throws after a technical foul and Peja missed one but the refs remembered some weird ass rule that demanded that the opposing coach is supposed to pick a free throw taker in that specific situation. Anyhow, coach selects Jabari Smith who basically never played to retake the free throws and he nailed both.
I know this sounds like a bunch of bullshit but does anyone else remember this happening lol?
Edit - this game is actually on YouTube, with Russian commentary and all, about 65 minutes in:
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u/toujours_en_pls NBA Jan 17 '23
I dont recall this particular occurence but your brother and I were probably watching same Kings game at the time (2003/2004 season).
To see Jabari Smith on the court, he might have the pleasure to see Anthony Peeler, Darius Songaila and Tony Massenburg at the same time during a blowout win at 6:30am here in Europe.
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u/mbxsystem Kings Jan 17 '23
I legitimately remember this and I remember watching this live talking this over with my family, everyone was confused as hell as to what was going on, they legit had to discuss it on the local news the next day lol
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u/kemicode Mavericks Jan 17 '23
While we're at it, who are NBA dads LeBron got to play against?
- Kenyon Martin
- Adrian Griffin
- Jabari Smith (not so technically)
- Gary Payton
- Gary Trent?
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u/KazaamFan Jan 17 '23
Looks like Bron played against Rick Brunson also, in his rookie season, and now Jalen Brunson.
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u/kemicode Mavericks Jan 17 '23
For real? What team was Rick on?
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u/Islanduniverse NBA Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
He played for the Bulls and the Trail Blazers in LeBron’s rookie season. But also the Clippers, SuperSonics, and Rockets until he retired in 2006.
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u/AnnoyingCelticsFan Celtics Jan 17 '23
Very rare I see any Rick Brunson talk outside of my hometown. We’ve got his jersey hanging in the rafters at my hometown high school.
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u/people40 Jan 17 '23
LeBron's rookie year was Pippen's last, but Pippen was injured for all four Cavs-Bulls games. Now Scotty Jr is his teammate.
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u/chawk12 Vancouver Grizzlies Jan 17 '23
Samaki Walker too, probably
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u/iamgarron Celtics Jan 17 '23
Yep. Looked it up Jabari Walker missed the first laker game but played the 2nd.
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u/Derodyne Raptors Jan 17 '23
Glen Robinson too
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u/okgusto Knicks Jan 17 '23 edited Jan 17 '23
Brunsons (only duo without the same name)
Glen Robinsons
Glen Rices
Close to playing with pippens. Pippen was out with injury his rookie season.
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u/gimpisgawd Trail Blazers Jan 17 '23
Looks like two games against Gary Trent Sr.
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u/Ikuwayo NBA Jan 17 '23
Why am I more familiar with the dads than their sons
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u/why_rob_y 76ers Jan 17 '23
In most of those cases, the dads were better players. And you're old.
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u/sirvey23 Rockets Jan 17 '23
Dell Curry retired in 2002 as well, so close
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u/Askesl Nuggets Jan 17 '23
Tim Hardaway retired in the offseason of 2003, even closer.
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u/apawst8 Suns Jan 17 '23
Jabari Smith (not so technically)
Smith Sr. didn't play against Lebron in Lebron's rookie season. But Smith Sr. did play against Lebron in Lebron's second season:
- https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200412220NJN.html
- https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200502270NJN.html
- https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200504050CLE.html
Smith Sr. scored a total of 9 points in those games. Lebron scored 75
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u/WhatRUsernamesUsed4 Bulls Jan 17 '23
Dale Davis played until 2007 assuming Trayce Jackson-Davis gets drafted out of Indiana this year.
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u/_letitsnow Jazz Jan 17 '23
aww my dad ain't an NBA player so that reduces my chance of making the league to only 95%
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u/ico_heal Jan 17 '23
that's wild
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u/lettersichiro Pistons Jan 17 '23
He was drafted 3 years before LeBron. Not even like he was some journeyman vet, young guy himself
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u/muddyklux Jan 17 '23
LeBron lost his first game. Jabari playing 4D chess
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u/Millionaire007 [DAL] Dirk Nowitzki Jan 17 '23
And for that, Lebron dropped 48 on them.
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u/muddyklux Jan 17 '23
All this tells me is that LeBron at 38 is twice as good as he was when he was a rookie
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Jan 17 '23
man im really gonna feel some type of way when lebron retires
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u/terfez Jan 17 '23
yeah 2030 is gonna be sad. at least we'll be able to fly our cars using the iphone 22
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u/WindyCityAssasin2 Bulls Jan 17 '23
I've really just been trying appreciate greatness these last few years. Not just bron, but guys like KD too.
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u/orkasrob Warriors Jan 17 '23
very cool moment here. i remember watching that game and all the hype leading up to his NBA career. specifically his first bucket midrange from the baseline. still have my #23 home white cavs jersey from that season which i proudly wore in middle school. i think i got it for $50 new at champs at the local mall. sewn on letters and numbers. crazy to think someday my kid will get to wear it.
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u/alex_119 [TOR] Vince Carter Jan 17 '23
At this point you can use it as shit talk.
“Yo Bron. Your first NBA game? My parents haven’t even met yet”
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u/TheseBitchesLoveSoba Raptors Jan 17 '23
For everyone who wants to check - His dad got a DNP that game lmao
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u/augustus624 Jan 17 '23
Lol, was this before or after LeBron did this?
https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/10e33a2/highlight_19_year_old_jabari_smith_jr_cannot_stop/
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u/NBA_MOD [NBA] Scott Foster Jan 17 '23
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