Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason will probably remember their season opener on Wednesday for the rest of his life—for the wrong reason.
The Rockets hosted the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center, welcoming the much-awaited return of Fred VanVleet after a long absence due to an ACL injury.
Eason, however, stole the spotlight—sort of—quite early. In the first quarter, he shoved PJ Washington as they were jockeying for position. Washington fell to the floor, and Eason was whistled for a flagrant foul 2, leading to an automatic ejection.
The 25-year-old Eason finished with two points, one rebound, and one steal in three minutes off the bench.
He retaliated after the 28-year-old Washington pushed him during a rebound battle in an earlier play.
While Eason has plenty of talent, his temperamental personality has always hampered his growth. He has to learn to control his emotions and channel them better.
Before the season, the fifth-year forward touted his preparation.
“This offseason was the most diligent I've ever been, the most focused I've ever been, just with my attention to detail,” said Eason, as quoted by The Rockets Wire's Ben Dubose.
Houston signed him to a five-year, $81.5 million contract extension in July. Eason posted a cryptic message on X after getting the new deal.
That same month, Eason sought a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend. Eason claimed that she punched him and poured bleach on his designer clothes.
Eason is probably dealing with a lot right now. Focusing on basketball could be helpful for him—if he can stay on the court.