If you can think back to the John Brannen era at Cincinnati from 2019-2021, you might remember one-year player Tari Eason, who spent his freshman season at Cincinnati in 2020-21, as a 4-star recruit and the No. 2 player out of Washington. After Brannen was placed on administrative leave and later announced he would not return as the Cincinnati head coach, Eason transferred. He committed to LSU and head coach Will Wade were he would break out into a star player. He won the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, was selected to the coaches' First Team All-SEC, and the AP Polls Second Team All-SEC. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks in his sophomore season in Baton Rouge.
Eason decided that he had played enough college basketball and headed to the NBA. He was selected No. 17 by the Houston Rockets in the 2022 NBA Draft and has been in Houston ever since. Eason has always been a contributor in Houston, never averaging less than 9.3 points in 21 minutes a game over his 4-year career. This past season, Eason played in 60 games for the Rockets, starting in 34 of them. He averaged 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds,1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals. Shooting 41.6% from the field and 35.8% from the three-point line, most of his shots come away from the basket. On July 2nd, it was announced that the former Bearcat would be receiving a 5-year $81.5 million contract to return to the Houston Rockets after hitting free agency for 36 hours or so.
JUST IN: Tari Eason signs a 5-year, $81.5 million contract to return to the Houston Rockets, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/HWrEwVghfu
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 3, 2026
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