Tari Eason is a prime example of an underrated player. The 23-year-old power forward and his ‘terror twin’ Amen Thompson have brought back the winning formula for the Houston Rockets. However, Eason’s rise to power wasn’t as smooth as one can imagine. A rather bumpy road and a major snub paved the way for his ‘villain’s original’ story. And who other than Joakim Noah can better explain what happened not too long ago?

Two-time NBA All-Star Joakim Noah was an honorary coach in the Rising Stars Challenge in 2023. The games took place in Utah that year and Tari Eason was on his team. But, Noah made a mistake. And, well, a major one to be honest! Because the consequences of his actions were pretty tough.

Sharing the wild story on The Old Man & The Three podcast, the ex-Clipper star talked about an unexpected encounter at the end of the Rising Stars game. “Tari Eason was on the team. I made a huge mistake—I didn’t play him in the second half,” Joakim Noah narrated. “This is a crazy story. We ended up losing the Rising Stars game against Pau Gasol. I remember leaving the arena, and Tari Eason’s grandmother came up to me. She said, ‘I came all the way from, I don’t know, from Seattle, and you didn’t play my grandson in the second half. That’s messed up.'” 

It looks like Grandma went all-super-protective mode for her the-then 21YO grandson Tari. Meanwhile, Joakim continued: “I’ll never forget that. I didn’t sleep well that night—I felt so bad. It’s an All-Star game, and I can’t believe I didn’t play him in the second half.” A year since that fateful day, and the former NBA player feels the guilt pangs to his core. However, to watch his once-benched star rise in the ranks for the Houston Rockets feels outstanding.

“Just to see him now, earning the nickname ‘The Terror Twins’ and doing his thing, playing high-energy basketball off the bench, shooting the three well, and slashing—it’s incredible. I wish him nothing but the best, and I hope he sees this and accepts my apology,” Joakim Noah added. Indeed, Tari Eason‘s benching in the important Rising Stars game was a setback. And surely, the rookie didn’t enjoy watching from the sidelines as his team lost to Pau Gasol’s side.

However, there is no denying that the Rising Stars snub could’ve altered his brain chemistry- turning the 23YO into the beast we see now. And it’s safe to say, the Houston Rockets are relishing the advantage of Tari Eason’s post-villain arc transformation.

Can Tari Eason become a name in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year race?

The Houston Rockets power duo, the ‘Terror Twins’ are having their best time in the 2024/25 NBA season. And to a greater extent, Tari Eason has been even more impressive than Amen Thompson. Eason was a personal favorite of draft nerds across the internet. Still, the broader basketball-watching world did not anticipate that he’d be this impactful at the NBA level. But, look how the tables have turned!

Tari Eason is a force to be reckoned with! His ability to take the ball up the court and score in clutch moments has been a blessing for the Rockets so far. Moreover, experts are suggesting that the youngster should be given more floor time than Jabari Smith Jr. Well, that’s for Houston to decide. But for now, let’s focus on where Eason stands in the Sixth Man of the Year race.

To begin with, the Celtics’ Payton Pritchard and Warriors’ Buddy Hield are leading the charts. But, Tari Eason has the capability of going second on the same. His career stats of 24.9 points, 14.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 4.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks per 100 possessions are pretty impressive. But, compared to the other big names he has more to add to his tally. However, the potential is there and we’re witnessing it with every passing game.

So, we should thank Joakim Noah for triggering the transformation of Tari Eason. Had he not been benched in the Rising Stars Challenges, who knows if we’d get to see such fearless games in the NBA? Moreover, it would be interesting to see if the power forward can rise to the ranks and clinch the SMOTY award this time.