Cincinnati Basketball: Tari Eason taken with 17th pick in NBA Draft

Tari Eason, who played for the Bearcats in 2021 before transferring to LSU, was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 17th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft last night. During his time at Cincinnati, Eason earned All-AAC Freshman Team honors and flashed impressive potential that should translate to the next level.

Cincinnati Basketball: Tari Eason taken with 17th pick in NBA Draft

After spending his freshman season with the Bearcats, Eason decided to enter the transfer portal and eventually ended up at LSU. The 6’8 forward scored 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game en route to being named SEC Sixth Man of the Year and a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Due to his athleticism and defensive ability, Eason was considered a potential lottery pick leading up to draft night and will likely have a chance to compete for minutes off the bench next season. The Rockets also added two other SEC standouts including Auburn star Jabari Smith Jr and Kentucky guard TyTy Washington.

Eason appeared in 23 games during his freshman campaign with the Bearcats, averaging 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds. He also ranked fourth in the conference with 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. Given his ability to defend multiple positions and score in transition, I think Eason will become a consistent role player in the NBA.

Coming out of Garfield High School, the Seattle native originally committed to Cincinnati on December 22, 2019 as the 16th highest rated recruit in program history. With help from head coach and former NBA All-Star Brandon Roy, he developed into a 4-star prospect and the second ranked player in the state.