SALT LAKE CITY — A timeout in the opening quarter of Jabari Smith Jr.'s first career game against Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James offered the Houston Rockets rookie an icebreaking opportunity.
"Hey," the 19-year-old said, "you played against my dad your first NBA game ever."
As the league introduced its Rising Stars on All-Star weekend, three participants — Smith, Scotty Pippen Jr. and A.J. Griffin — are sons of players whose careers also coincided with James' two-decade run. A fourth, Jalen Duren, is the first NBA player born after James debuted for the Cleveland Cavaliers in October 2003.