AUBURN, Ala. – With the resources available to a budding NBA superstar, Jabari Smith could've spent Saturday anywhere on the planet.
He chose to conduct a free basketball camp for boys and girls at Loachapoka High School, six miles from Neville Arena, where Smith helped Auburn win the 2022 SEC championship.
"Because Auburn means so much to me," said Smith, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. "I really like to call Auburn home. I wasn't here for long but the relationships I've built, how much fun I had, and how much love I was shown while I was here, it's great for me to give back.
"Auburn is home. It's tattooed on me. This is my family here and I love Auburn. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this community. I wanted to do it here. To have the first one here is a big deal for me. This is a big reason why I am the player I am today and the man I am today."
Smith recruited former teammates, friends and family to help him run the camp, which he plans to expand to his hometown of Atlanta, and Houston, where he recently completed his second season with the Rockets.
"A lot of people who have helped me get to where I am today," Smith said. "Everybody here has been with me along the way."