J. R. Smith

1.1. Childhood and High School Career

J.R. Smith was born in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, and grew up in the Clarksburg section of Millstone Township, New Jersey. His high school education spanned five years, during which he attended multiple schools. He began his freshman year in 1999-2000 at Steinert High School for the first semester, then transferred to McCorristin Catholic High for the second. As he had not competed in sports for either school, he was permitted to transfer to Lakewood High and repeat his freshman year, playing two seasons of basketball there. In 2002, he transferred to Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, a New Jersey basketball powerhouse.

Smith was highly regarded not only in basketball but also in American football and baseball. However, he ultimately decided to focus strictly on basketball during his senior year. In his final high school season, he recorded 23.9 points per game and 5.0 steals per game. He set new school records for total points in a season (700), three-pointers made (108), and field goal percentage (54.1%). He was named to the state's All-First Team for two consecutive years. After a lengthy recruiting battle, he initially committed to play college basketball for North Carolina. However, after winning co-MVP honors with Dwight Howard at the 2004 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, Smith decided to forgo college and declared for the 2004 NBA draft, entering the league directly from high school.

2.1. New Orleans Hornets (2004-2006)

Smith began his NBA career after being selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft. In his rookie season (2004-05), he quickly demonstrated his potential, being named Western Conference Rookie of the Month three times (January, February, March). He also participated in the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest during the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, finishing third and showcasing his athleticism to the league's fans. He averaged 10.3 points per game and 1.9 steals per game over 76 games, starting in 56 of them.

However, his second season (2005-06) saw a decline in his performance, averaging 7.7 points per game in 55 games (25 starts). Smith reportedly fell out of favor with Hornets coach Byron Scott due to perceived poor work ethic. He began the 2005-06 season as the starting shooting guard but concluded it out of the rotation, leading to his trade during the offseason.

2.2. Denver Nuggets (2006-2011)

On July 14, 2006, Smith was traded to the Chicago Bulls along with P. J. Brown in exchange for Tyson Chandler. Just six days later, he was traded again, this time to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Howard Eisley and two second-round draft picks, marking his arrival in Denver for the 2006-07 season.

Early in his Nuggets tenure, Smith encountered disciplinary issues. He served a 10-game NBA suspension from December 18 to January 8, stemming from his involvement in the notorious Knicks-Nuggets brawl at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2006. Later in the season, he missed eight games between February 23 and March 11 due to arthroscopic left knee surgery. Despite finding his rhythm and delivering high-scoring performances as a starting shooting guard, his role shifted after the Nuggets acquired Allen Iverson. Smith moved to a reserve role, and his playing time dwindled as he struggled to earn the trust of head coach George Karl. This culminated in him being benched for Game 5 of the first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, after a disappointing 0-for-12 performance from beyond the arc in the first four games. Coach Karl publicly expressed frustration with Smith's decision-making, particularly a late-game three-point attempt in Game 4 with the Nuggets trailing by four.

Despite these early challenges, Smith's performance improved in subsequent seasons. In the 2007-08 season, he achieved career highs in field goal percentage (.461%) and three-point percentage (.403%). During the 2008-09 season, he averaged 15.2 points per game across 81 games, with 18 starts, and finished second in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, behind Jason Terry. In February 2009, he participated in his second NBA Slam Dunk Contest, again finishing third. On April 13, 2009, Smith recorded a career-high 45 points and set a franchise record with 11 three-pointers in a 118-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings, helping the Nuggets clinch the Northwest Division title and secure home-court advantage in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.

On December 23, 2009, Smith scored a season-high 41 points against the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first NBA player to record multiple games with 10 or more three-pointers. He finished the 2009-10 season averaging a then career-high 15.4 points per game. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged 12.3 points per game and 2.2 assists per game as the Nuggets' sixth man. Smith's tenure with the Nuggets, characterized by his fan-favorite status for his three-point shooting and electrifying dunks, but also his "baffling" shot selection that often frustrated Coach Karl, ended in September 2011 due to the 2011 NBA lockout.

2.3. Zhejiang Golden Bulls (2011-2012)

In September 2011, amidst the 2011 NBA lockout, Smith signed a one-year contract with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). According to CBA rules, his contract did not include an opt-out clause, meaning he could not return to the NBA even after the lockout concluded. His deal was estimated to be worth around 3.00 M USD, a record for the league at the time.

During his 32 games for Zhejiang, Smith put up impressive numbers, averaging 34.4 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 4.1 assists per game, and 2.5 steals per game. On February 1, 2012, he scored a season-high 60 points, including 14 three-pointers, in a 122-110 victory over the Qingdao Eagles. He recorded four games with 50 or more points during his time in China.

2.4. New York Knicks (2012-2015)

After the NBA lockout ended and his commitment in China concluded, Smith signed with the New York Knicks on February 17, 2012, marking his return to the NBA. He appeared in 35 games for the Knicks to finish the 2011-12 regular season and played in all five of their postseason games.

On July 11, 2012, Smith re-signed with the Knicks. The 2012-13 season proved to be a career year for him, as he averaged a career-high 18.1 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game in 33.5 minutes per game over 80 games, primarily coming off the bench. He earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the period ending March 31, after recording three consecutive 30-point performances off the bench, becoming the first NBA player to achieve this feat in over 23 years. His outstanding performance led to him being named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, making him only the third player in Knicks franchise history to receive the award, joining Anthony Mason and John Starks.

Smith re-signed with the Knicks again on July 11, 2013. He missed the first five games of the 2013-14 season due to a suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy. On March 26, 2014, he tied the Knicks' franchise record by hitting nine three-pointers against the Sacramento Kings. Two days later, in a 90-89 loss to the Washington Wizards, he scored a season-high 32 points with eight three-pointers. On April 6, 2014, in a 102-91 loss to the Miami Heat, Smith attempted an NBA record 22 three-pointers in a single game, surpassing Damon Stoudamire's 2005 mark. He made 10 of these 22 attempts, setting a new franchise record for three-pointers made, and finished the game with 32 points, his second consecutive 30-point outing.

2.5. Cleveland Cavaliers (2015-2019)

Smith joined the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 5, 2015, as part of a three-team trade involving the Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. His time with the Cavaliers would prove to be the most successful of his career, highlighted by multiple NBA Finals appearances and an historic championship.

2.5.1. 2014-15 season

On April 27, 2015, Smith was suspended for the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals after he swung his arm and made contact with the head of Celtics forward Jae Crowder in Game 4 of their first-round series against Boston. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks, Smith made eight three-pointers and scored 28 points in a 97-89 victory. He played a crucial role in helping the Cavaliers sweep the Hawks to reach the 2015 NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games. During Cleveland's playoff run in 2015, Smith appeared in 18 games (four starts), averaging 12.8 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game in 31.1 minutes per game.

2.5.4. 2017-18 season

Smith struggled in the initial 10 games of the 2017-18 season but found his form on November 7, scoring a season-high 20 points on 5-of-7 three-pointers in a 124-119 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In this game, he also surpassed Rashard Lewis (1,787) for 14th place on the NBA's career three-pointers made list. On December 14, in a 121-112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Smith passed Chauncey Billups (1,830) for 11th place on the NBA's career three-pointers made list.

On March 2, 2018, Smith was suspended by the Cavaliers for one game for throwing a bowl of soup at assistant coach Damon Jones. In Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Warriors, with the score tied and 4.7 seconds left in regulation, Smith secured a free-throw rebound. Believing the Cavaliers were leading, he attempted to dribble out the clock before realizing his error and frantically passing to George Hill with 1.2 seconds left. The Cavaliers subsequently lost 124-114 in overtime. In a post-game interview, Smith initially claimed to have known it was a tie game but later retracted, stating, "After thinking about it a lot... I can't say I was sure of anything at that point." The Cavaliers were ultimately swept in four games in the series.

2.6. Los Angeles Lakers (2020)

After spending the early part of the 2019-20 season as a free agent, Smith signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 1, 2020, for the remainder of the season, reuniting with his former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James. This signing occurred after the season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently resumed with expanded roster spots.

On July 30, he made his debut for the Lakers, recording no points and one foul in a 103-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. On August 3, Smith scored his first points for the Lakers, contributing four points in a 116-108 win over the Utah Jazz. On August 13, he recorded a season-high 11 points, along with one rebound and two assists, in a 122-136 loss to the Sacramento Kings. On August 20, he recorded a playoff-high 11 points, along with two assists, in a 111-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

3.1. College Golf

In the summer of 2021, without any new offers from NBA teams, Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University to pursue a degree in liberal studies and join the university's golf team. His enrollment raised questions regarding NCAA eligibility rules, which typically prevent individuals with professional sports experience from participating in college athletics. However, since Smith entered the NBA directly from high school, he had never used his NCAA playing eligibility. Furthermore, as he was not receiving income from golf (and former professional athletes are permitted to play other sports), he was deemed eligible to join the golf team.

On October 8, 2021, the university announced that Smith had qualified to play in the Aggies' upcoming tournament, the Phoenix Invitational hosted by Elon University, on October 11 and 12. Despite an incident where he was stung by a bee during his debut, and finishing 81st out of 84 participants in that event, Smith demonstrated strong academic performance. He maintained a 4.0 GPA and was recognized as North Carolina A&T's Academic Athlete of the Year for 2021-2022. Smith's journey with the men's golf team was the subject of the 2023 docuseries Redefined: J. R. Smith.

3.2. Esports

In 2021, J.R. Smith also ventured into the esports industry. He signed with Complexity Gaming and participated in Call of Duty: Warzone tournaments, showcasing his interest and involvement in competitive gaming.

4.1. NBA Regular Season

4.2. NBA Playoffs

4.3. CBA

5.1. Family and Relationships

Smith is the son of Ida and Earl Smith. He has three brothers and two sisters. His younger brother, Chris Smith, briefly played alongside him on the Knicks during the 2013-14 season. His other younger brother, Dimitrius, played college football at Monmouth University.

In August 2016, Smith married Jewel Harris, and together they have three daughters. Smith also has one daughter from a previous relationship. His former NBA teammates Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul are the godfathers of his first two daughters. In January 2017, his second daughter with Jewel Harris was born prematurely, weighing only one pound at birth.

In a publicly reported turn of events, Smith welcomed a son on September 27, 2024, with actress Candice Patton. Smith had been in a relationship with Patton since 2019, despite his marriage to Jewel Harris, a situation that became public knowledge due to allegations made by his wife in 2019.

5.2. Tattoos and Public Image

In 2012, The New York Times described Smith as one of the most heavily tattooed players in the NBA. He stated that he got his first tattoo at 15 years old and had lost count of his tattoos "around 70-something" by December 2012, having visited "probably a thousand" tattoo parlors. His distinctive body art even inspired a Cleveland clothing company to sell a T-shirt in June 2016 that reproduced his torso and upper arm tattoos.

In 2018, Smith modeled for Nike and Supreme. He subsequently had the Supreme logo tattooed on his calf, which later became a point of controversy with the NBA.

5.3. Other Activities

Beyond his basketball career and personal life, Smith has engaged in various public activities. He reportedly dated pop singer Rihanna between 2012 and 2013. In November 2016, he appeared on stage with his family at a Cleveland rally to endorse Hillary Clinton's candidacy for the 2016 United States presidential election.

6.1. Car Accidents and Driving Misconduct

Smith has been involved in multiple car accidents and has a history of driving misconduct.
On June 9, 2007, Smith and two passengers were injured in a car accident in Millstone Township, New Jersey, when the SUV he was driving collided with another car. Smith and a passenger, Andre Bell, were ejected from the vehicle around 5:30 p.m. Smith's vehicle reportedly went through a stop sign before the collision. Smith and Bell were not wearing seatbelts. Smith was taken to Jersey Shore University Hospital, and Bell suffered serious head injuries before being pronounced dead on the night of June 11. Neither Smith nor the second passenger sustained life-threatening injuries. In October 2008, a grand jury in Monmouth County, New Jersey, declined to indict Smith on a vehicular manslaughter charge related to the accident. On June 30, 2009, Smith pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving. He was initially sentenced to 90 days in a Monmouth County jail, with 60 days suspended contingent on him completing 500 hours of community service. He was released from jail on July 31, 2009, after serving 24 days.

Smith's driving record prior to the 2007 accident included 27 points against his record from April 2005 to January 2006, with eight violations on seven different days, five of which were for speeding. Since the fatal accident, he has received two additional speeding tickets and three license suspensions in New Jersey.
On February 2, 2011, Smith was involved in another minor car accident while riding in a car with then-teammate Carmelo Anthony; neither player was injured. In May 2012, Smith was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, for failing to appear in court in 2011 after being cited for operating a motor scooter without a valid license.

6.2. Fines and Suspensions

Smith has received multiple fines and suspensions from the NBA due to his conduct. In December 2006, he was suspended for 10 games for his role in the Knicks-Nuggets brawl. In September 2013, he was suspended for the first five games of the 2013-14 season for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy. On April 27, 2015, the NBA suspended him for two games during the playoffs for striking Jae Crowder in the head. On March 2, 2018, he received a one-game suspension from the Cavaliers for throwing a bowl of soup at assistant coach Damon Jones. In September 2018, the NBA threatened to fine Smith if he appeared in a game without covering up the Supreme logo tattooed on his leg. Initially resistant, he eventually agreed to hide the tattoo after discussions with National Basketball Players Association officials. In March 2012, the NBA fined Smith 25.00 K USD for posting a picture of model Tahiry Jose on his Twitter account.

6.3. Off-Court and In-Game Incidents

Smith has been involved in other notable off-court and in-game incidents. In August 2009, he temporarily closed his Twitter account after being accused of writing in a style that reflected the Bloods gang, specifically replacing 'c's with 'k's. In June 2012, Smith sued his former Chinese team, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, for 1.00 M USD, alleging the team withheld his salary, claiming he missed practices and faked an injury.

During the celebrations after the 2016 NBA Finals victory, Smith became widely known for frequently appearing without a T-shirt. Then-President Barack Obama even made a reference to Smith's shirtless celebration during a congratulatory call to head coach Tyronn Lue. This led to a Cleveland clothing company commissioning a T-shirt replicating Smith's tattooed torso.

In an in-game lapse during the second quarter of a November 29, 2016, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Smith was seen talking to Jason Terry on the opposing bench, neglecting his defensive assignment on Tony Snell, who then scored an uncontested dunk. Smith later clarified that he "didn't even know I was in the game" at that moment.

On May 31, 2020, during the George Floyd protests in Los Angeles, Smith was captured on video physically assaulting a man. Smith claimed in a video that the man had broken his truck window with a skateboard, prompting him to chase and "whoop his ass." He referred to the man as a "motherfucking white boy" in his statement.

7.1. Awards and Honors

Smith's major awards and honors include:

• 2× NBA Champion (2016, 2020)
• NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2013)
• CBA All-Star (2012)
• CBA Scoring Champion (2012)
• Parade All-American Second Team (2004)
• McDonald's All-American Game Co-MVP (2004)

7.2. Overall Impact and Evaluation

J.R. Smith was a prominent figure in the NBA for over a decade, known for his explosive scoring, particularly from beyond the arc, and his athleticism. He was often dubbed "The Prodigy" early in his career due to his immense talent. While his shot selection and occasional disciplinary issues drew criticism from coaches and media, his ability to provide instant offense and his clutch three-point shooting were undeniable assets, especially in championship-contending teams. His contributions to the Cleveland Cavaliers' historic 2016 NBA championship and the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 title solidified his legacy as a valuable championship player. Beyond the court, his distinctive tattoos and public persona, including his shirtless celebrations, made him a memorable figure, demonstrating both his flair and, at times, a disregard for conventional expectations. His post-NBA pursuit of college golf highlights a new chapter of personal and academic achievement.