‘Embrace the suck’: Tari Eason learning in rookie season with Rockets

Drafted at No. 17 overall in the 2022 first round, it hasn’t been the smoothest rookie season for Tari Eason with the Houston Rockets. The team currently owns the NBA’s worst record (10-30), and it’s been a mixed bag of late for their rookie forward out of LSU.

While Eason has consistently provided value with defense and transition play, he’s struggled to finish in recent games. Over his last seven games entering Wednesday, Eason was shooting just 33.3% overall and 25.0% on 3-pointers — though he has still averaged an impressive 6.7 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per game over that span.

But what’s most frustrating for Eason, as for all of Houston’s young squad, is the current seven-game losing streak and a run of 12 losses in their last 13 games. When asked by Rockets Wire’s Brian Barefield about watching film of his personal struggles, Eason said:

Embracing that suck. That’s what one of the weight trainers told me. In times like this, when things are difficult, just embrace the things that you don’t want to do.

Whether that’s diving into film or being in the weight room more, just embrace the situation, holistically. So that when I come out of it, I’m going to come out a better man.

Houston Rockets rookie @TAR13ASON said one of the things he is learning to do in his first-season is “Embracing the suck” when it comes to dealing with some of the struggles he has had this season. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/DNcWr8C8F3

— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) January 12, 2023

For the 2022-23 season as a whole, Eason entered Wednesday averaging 7.9 points (42.1% FG, 36.6% on 3-pointers), 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 18.8 minutes as a key reserve off Houston’s bench.

Eason and the Rockets will look to turn things around on Wednesday and Friday nights in Sacramento, with tipoff of both games versus the Kings (21-18) set for 9:00 p.m. Central.