Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and 2023 NBA title favorites entering their first-round playoff matchup versus the Miami Heat. They were then shockingly defeated by the No. 8 seed, four games to one.
So, does that make the 2022-23 season a failure for Milwaukee? Antetokounmpo gave a thoughtful answer as to why it is not. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, formerly an NBA champion with the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, said on television why he strongly disagree.
Count Jabari Smith Jr., a 19-year-old rookie forward with the Houston Rockets after being drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round, as being on Perkins’ side of this debate.
Smith quote tweeted a video of Perkins’ rebuttal with a 100 emoji, indicating 100-percent support for the commentary.
Understandably, many pointed out in the Twitter replies section that Smith’s Rockets were nowhere near the 2023 playoffs. In fact, Houston (22-60) finished tied for the NBA’s second-worst record.
Smith isn’t running from that, though. He owns it. His response:
You’re right. We failed.
Ultimately, for both Smith and the two-time NBA MVP from Milwaukee, it largely comes down to how each player chooses to motivate himself. It appears Smith believes in “tough love,” and time will tell as to how successful it is for the Rockets over his career.
At least in the short-term, it could be a good fit with the new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, who made it clear in his introductory press conference that “youth is not an excuse” for his team.
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Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire