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Jabari Smith Jr.'s Dad Says Thunder Made Draft Promise Before Chet Holmgren Pick

The Oklahoma City Thunder's decision to select Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft apparently came as a stunner to Jabari Smith Jr. thanks to a promise.

Smith's father, Jabari Smith Sr., told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that his son, who ended up going No. 3 to the Houston Rockets, was upset when the Thunder selected Holmgren because of that promise:

"So, they called Chet Holmgren's name, and he lost it. Leg went to shaking. I looked at him. He is almost in tears. And I forgot that he told me that OKC [promised to draft him], so I got to keep my mouth closed about that.