Tag: JR Smith

J.R. Smith finally explains why he threw hot chicken tortilla soup at an assistant coach

“He’s over there screaming because the [expletive] is hot.”

North Carolina A&T golfer and former NBA champion J.R. Smith was suspended in March 2018 for “throwing soup” at a Cavaliers assistant coach.

Smith, the subject of a docuseries on Amazon, recently appeared on The Old Man and The Three podcast with J.J. Redick. While the former NBA champ was promoting his docuseries, Redfined, he was asked about what led to the soup-throwing incident.

At the time, Smith said he didn’t recall what type of soup he threw at former Cavs assistant coach Damon Jones. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst knew what type of soup was involved but for some reason, he refused to share details as a silent protest.

Eventually, however, The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd revealed it was actually chicken tortilla soup. Smith has since argued that it was actually more of a “toss” than a throw.

Finally, however, we learned why Smith made this decision. This is what he told Redick at the 1-hour, 10-minute mark:

“Damon Jones is my guy. I love D-Jones. Everybody knows. But he has a knack of playing too much. For me, don’t get me wrong, I like to play a little joke here and there. Kikiki. But he is consistent with it. And for me, if I’m telling you: ‘I’m not in the mood right now.’ Like bro, I had some stuff going on at home. I wasn’t playing well. I was like dude, not right now.”

So we know that Smith was in a bad mood and we know that Jones was messing around with him.

But what happened next?

“Sure enough, I’m in the lunch room, getting my soup and he comes in and mind you the soup is hot. I’m like the first person in there. He’s like trying to make me spill it. I’m not going to lie. It took me a second because I actually thought about it. It wasn’t like a rageful throw. It was like: ‘Okay, you’re playing with me. I know you’re playing with me. I’m going to show you.’ I literally thought about it and I threw it on him. He’s over there screaming because the [expletive] is hot. I’m like, see, you want to stop playing now with me now right?”

Smith also confirmed that it was a tomato-based chicken tortilla soup.

The next day, according to Smith, he received an apology from Jones.

Jones is on record saying that it was the bowl and the soup that landed on him and because it was the first bowl out of the pot, it was hot as hell. He said it took a few months for them to speak again.

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Celtics champ alum Ray Allen credited by JR Smith with changing his life via golf

‘I’ve never had a person … in a day or two change how I think and how I look at my own self-worth,’ said Smith.

Long opponents on the basketball court, an encounter over a game of golf with Boston Celtics Hall of Fame sharpshooter Ray Allen reportedly changed the life of fellow two-time NBA champion JR Smith. In a recent interview with Complex’s Pierce Simpson, Smith credited Allen with helping him begin a new chapter of his life with a fresh perspective on his own self-worth.

Smith’s exit from the league came hard and fast after a blunder helped contribute to a 2018 NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, and clashing with the Cleveland Cavaliers the following season after a rebuild began with the exit of LeBron James. While he’d link up with James for one more postseason stint with James in 2020, it would mark the end of his career in the league.

While going out winning a title might seem like an ideal retirement for some, Smith didn’t feel he was done, even suggesting he is being blackballed by the NBA for his inability to find a new home in the league.

JR Smith claims he, Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, Boston Celtics alums Isaiah Thomas, Joe Johnson blackballed by NBA

The former Lakers and Cavs champ believes a number of veterans are being blackballed by the league.

Former NBAer JR Smith recently claimed he, Jamal Crawford, and former Boston Celtics alumni Isaiah Thomas and Joe Johnson were “blackballed” from the NBA in a recent interview with Complex’s Pierce Simpson. “Anybody can sit here and tell you that that’s a fact,” suggested Smith.

“You’ve got those 30 teams, or the top three people on each of those 30 teams, and exclude them. Give me the fourth through 15th man, just the fourth through the 15th,” the two-time NBA champion continued. “Name one of them that’s better than me. I’m sitting here like, ‘Bro, I’ve worked out with these dudes.'”

“I’ve watched their GM come up to me and ask me, ‘Yo, why aren’t you playing?'” he added. “You know why I’m not playing.”

“I feel like it’s a whole genre that happened to the Joe Johnsons who obviously still got game, still can play,” Smith opined. “Jamal Crawford still got game, still can play. Nick Young, still got game, still can play. Isaiah Thomas, still got game, still can play.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Layup Lines: Would you rather chase rings or chase bags?

The truth behind chasing rings is not everyone can do it.

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

J.R. Smith was a guest on an episode of the No Chill with Gilbert Arenas podcast that aired this week. Arenas and fellow host Josiah Johnson sparked an interesting conversation with Smith about the money vs. rings debate.

Here’s what Smith had to say about Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal, who have remained loyal to the teams that drafted them — teams that could offer them more money — rather than forcing their way onto teams better suited to contend for championships.

“I love Dame. I love his game. I respect him for doing what he’s doing. But at the same time, it’s like, you’re just going to rot in Portland bro? Like, you are unbelievable. …

“Brad! You nice! I’m not about to rot in D.C. Like, it’s a nice place. The city is nice, but…my career. I’m trying to win bro.”

However, when Johnson chimed in with the $250 million price tag on Beal’s recent contract extension, Smith had to re-think what he was saying. And the truth is, all of us would.

It’s cute to think we’d all sacrifice a few tens of millions of dollars for the sake of winning, but none of us can definitively say we’d do that unless we were faced with that decision. Just because you team up with other star players doesn’t mean you automatically win a championship — just ask the former Nets trio from a year ago that’s now all but split.

The truth is, jumping teams to chase rings isn’t a real thing for max players in their primes who aren’t named LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Chasing rings is only something role players or players in decline do. Outside of them, only the elite of the elite can actually pull it off, because only those players swing the fortunes of a team so drastically to make it worth the risk. And if that’s what they want to do, good for them.

As for the others, you can’t blame them for not wanting to sacrifice the goodwill (and massive paydays) they’ve built in one city for something that isn’t guaranteed anyway. I’m not necessarily saying chasing bags is the way to go, but KD to Golden State was a sure thing. LeBron to Miami was a sure thing.

Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard bolting for teams that don’t already have one of those top five players only sounds good in theory. They wouldn’t be automatic champions. So the alternative is trying to build something where they are, which is kind of admirable. And if it doesn’t work out, they can still chase the ring somewhere else when their prime is over.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

I’m sure Jimmy Butler would have loved for Beal or Lillard to join him Miami next season, but since they’re both content with staying put, he’ll have to continue shouldering a giant load.

Preparing for that, Butler hit the gym with renowned skills coach Chris Brickley. And after the video hit the Twitter streets, all anyone could talk about was Butler’s hair because, well, let’s just say it’s a lot longer than when we last saw him. The internet had jokes about his new locs, as our guy Sykes wrote:

“No, you’re not tripping. Jimmy’s hair didn’t grow a whole 12 inches in the span of just a couple of months since we last saw him. That hair is, in fact, not his own hair.

He went and got some extensions. Why? Who knows. But he got them. There’s a whole video showing the process.

It’s like magic, y’all. This caught so many people off guard. But the jokes? The jokes were absolutely incredible.”

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Sarah Gordon/The Day via AP

Seattle Storm (+135) at Connecticut Sun (-3.5, -108), O/U 158.5, 7 PM ET

I’m rolling with the Sun in this one against the spread. They’re riding a three-game winning streak and have a 2-0 record against the Storm this season, winning those games by an average of nine points.

Shootaround

— The Warriors owe it to Steph Curry and their core to prioritize the present.

— Former Wizards draftee Cassius Winston has signed a contract with FC Bayern Munich.

— Mark Jackson thinks the Knicks could have beaten MJ’s Bulls if they hadn’t traded him for Doc Rivers.

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JR Smith takes positive step forward, has lots to learn from college golf debut for North Carolina A&T

The 35-year-old freshman walk on rebounded from a tough start to his college golf career.

North Carolina A&T head men’s golf coach Richard Watkins said JR Smith “found out today that collegiate golf is not easy” after the former NBA star made his college debut for the Aggies at the Elon Phoenix Invitational on Monday.

Smith, a 35-year-old freshman walk on at NC A&T, struggled out the gate with a 12-over 83 in the morning at Alamance Country Club in Burlington, North Carolina, but did well to rebound in the afternoon with a 7-over 78. Smith called his first competitive day a “learning experience,” but Tuesday’s final round was more of the same with an 8-over 79 to finish the event in 81st at 27 over.

The two-time NBA champion, first with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and then the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, made six bogeys for the third consecutive round, as well as one double and 11 pars. It was the first round of the event where Smith didn’t make a birdie.

Leaderboard: Phoenix Invitational

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“Playing for a score vs. playing for your ego or your pride, it’s a lot different than playing a round with your buddies at the random public courses,” Smith said on Monday after his second round.

After a 16-year career in the NBA, what Smith is doing, coming back to college and starting from square one as a grown man in a new sport, is truly impressive. But none of this has been given to him. It’s important to note that Smith is a walk on and earned his position on the team and in this week’s lineup. According to the school, “All A&T golfers must qualify for each tournament in practice unless the golfer finishes first or second on the team in the previous tournament,” and Smith qualified for the Phoenix Invitational by one stroke.

It’s not a publicity stunt, it’s a positive step in the next phase of the wild career of JR Smith.

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J.R. Smith’s first two days at a college golf tournament included getting stung by bees

Oh no!

J.R. Smith the golfer has had quite a couple of days as a member of the North Carolina A&T golf team.

He’s playing at the Elon Phoenix Invitational — we’ll get into how that’s going in a sec — but it’s what happened on Tuesday that made headlines.

While searching for a ball, he reportedly stepped on a bees nest — it might have been yellow jackets? — and was stung a few times. He was able to recover and finish out the day, but it was probably not exactly the challenge he was expecting.

So let’s break down the highlights and the lowlight moment that must have hurt.

JR Smith makes a couple birdies, struggles to 10-over 81 in college golf debut for North Carolina A&T

JR’s college debut led to a colorful scorecard.

JR Smith had a big, bright personality during his 16-year NBA career. Unfortunately for the former sharpshooting guard his scorecard was just as colorful in his college golf debut.

The 35-year-old two-time NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, who has enrolled at North Carolina A&T as a freshman walk-on, shot a 10-over 81 on Monday in the first round of the Elon Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club in Burlington, North Carolina. Smith walked off the course tied for 79th after eight bogeys, two double bogeys, two birdies and six pars.

Elon’s Pedro Rabadan led after the first 18 holes with a 6-under 65.

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For those thinking Smith’s time in Greensboro is a publicity stunt or that the former NBA star is taking someone’s place, don’t get it twisted. Smith is a walk on and earned his position not only on the team, but in this week’s lineup. According to the school, “All A&T golfers must qualify for each tournament in practice unless the golfer finishes first or second on the team in the previous tournament,” and Smith qualified for the Phoenix Invitational by one stroke.

While his score was dropped from the Aggies’ team total for the first round (the format is play five players, count your best four scores), Smith did beat one of his teammates in the first 18. Anthony Ford, competing as an individual, shot an 11-over 82.

“He has a good enough golf game to put up some good numbers,” said head coach Richard Watkins a week before Smith’s debut. “But this is what I tell people. If you want to find out how good a golfer really is, put the word tournament or money in front of the round. Playing when there is nothing on the line is one thing. But, put meaning to it, and the heart rate changes. The grip on the club changes, and we get to see who you really are.”

Smith will have another chance to show who he really is on the course in Monday afternoon’s second round, which is now underway.

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Ex-NBA star J.R. Smith shares joys, frustrations as student at North Carolina A&T as he tries hand at college golf

“I hated school growing up and I knew this would be a challenge, but that’s not going to discourage me one second.”

J.R. Smith is reading short stories in his English class, studying nutrition in his family and consumer science class.

But the lessons for the longtime NBA player at North Carolina A&T aren’t just in the classroom. Smith also has learned college isn’t all fun and games. It’s not golf 24/7 even though he enrolled in part to play on the university’s golf team.

In a series of tweets over the past week, Smith, who turns 36 on Sept. 9, shared his freshman experience, expressing frustration of being back in the classroom for the first time since his senior year of high school in 2004.

“I hated school growing up and I knew this would be a challenge, but that’s not going to discourage me one second. You have to be able to buckle down and lock into new journeys and challenges coming in your life. Observe, learn and adapt,” Smith tweeted.

Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

He asked if it were natural to “want to switch majors” one week into his first semester and tweeted, “Been up since 5am LA time working on my education assignments. One bad week will not spoil the semester. Lace your boots up put your head up and go to work.”

On Sunday, he wrote, “So disappointed in myself this first week man.”

Smith was once one of the best 450 basketball players in the world, a former champion and Sixth Man of the Year. It is estimated that he’s made more than $90 million during his NBA career. Now, he’s just like thousands of other college freshmen trying, maybe even struggling, to find their way – turning in assignments before a midnight deadline and contemplating the value of joining a fraternity.

His honest words reveal a vulnerability and humility but also inspiring to others trying to make a life change. In return, Smith has received tips and encouragement from professors, tutors, students, celebrities and media personalities, among others.

Nearly two decades ago, Smith committed to play basketball for Roy Williams at North Carolina. But after impressive performances in high school all-star games, including the 2004 McDonald’s All-American game in which he was named co-MVP with Dwight Howard, Smith decided bypass college for the NBA.

He embarked on a successful 16-year career winning titles with Cleveland in 2016 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and earning Sixth Man of the Year in 2013.

“After a while, school just disappeared from my mind,” Smith told reporters last week. “I didn’t think I would have that urge or want to go back or let alone encouraged to go back.”

A big golf fan and avid golfer, Smith often watched PGA Tour events in his NBA locker room and sometimes brought his clubs on road trips. After a regular-season game against Milwaukee during his Cavs days, Smith watched the final holes of a tournament on his iPad before starting his postgame press conference. And there was the year early in his Cavs days when he played 36 holes on an off day in Orlando and 18 the next day before that night’s game.

Smith said he put away the clubs for the 2015-16 season and didn’t play a full round until after the Cavaliers won the title. And, of course, he was one of the Lakers who made use of tee times in the Orlando bubble in 2020.

He didn’t play in the NBA last season and contemplated what life after basketball might look like. It’s not always an easy transition especially when your “career” is over by your mid-30s.

Smith decided to attend college.

“Being able to compete and challenge myself academically is where my heart is right now,” Smith said. “Being able to play golf at the same time is even better. It gives me incentive to keep my grades up.”

North Carolina A&T opens its fall season Sept. 24-25 at the Black College Golf Coaches Association Invitational.

“Obviously it’s a different environment from playing in front of 20,000 people to playing in a college golf gallery,” Smith said. “It’s still as nerve-wracking shooting a free throw in front of 5,000 people as it making a 5-foot putt in front of 30 (people). It all correlates the same.”

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JR Smith tweeted about finishing his English homework and it was the most wholesome thing ever

This is the best.

JR Smith’s journey to college at North Carolina A&T has been incredibly inspiring on so many levels.

He’s not there for thrills. He’s not there for jokes. He’s not there to make a huge scene or anything. He’s literally there just to try and better himself. It’s very obvious he’s taking this whole thing seriously, which, of course, he is. But it’s still awesome to see and acknowledge.

We’ve been able to follow his journey a bit through posts on social media from him and from the students around him.

And with his latest update, Smith told us he finished his English homework which, apparently, required him to write a short story.

He wrote a story about a little girl that sounds pretty awesome.

The internet absolutely loved this. It’s the most wholesome thing ever.

JR Smith is fed up with your Henny jokes and he’s absolutely right to be

No more Hennessy jokes for JR Smith, please

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the NBA memed more than JR Smith. He’s been known unofficially as the NBA’s “Henny God” for so long.

You’ve seen the memes. You know what I’m talking about. JR Smith is always pictured with a photoshopped bottle of Hennesy. And that’s despite him not actually drinking Hennessy.

But, now, Smith is tired of it. He’s done with the Henny God jokes.

It was fine at first. Funny, even. But it’s been years, at this point. The jokes are old and tired. He’s moved on to bigger things like going back to school to get his degree at North Carolina A&T.

He’s officially enrolled and has even been approved to play golf with the HBCU by the NCAA. That’s a pretty dope thing.

But y’all know the internet, though. The jokes gotta fly — even for something as cool as this. That’s exactly what happened. Someone saw JR Smith walking the A&T campus and made a Henny God joke.

Smith wasn’t rocking, though. He left a comment on Instagram saying enough is enough with the jokes. They’re tired. And he’s absolutely right. They are.

Warning: There is some NSFW language in this post.

“As a Black man in America you still can’t move on from the [expletive] that people continue to put on your name. Not one positive post about going to school and trying to better myself. Y’all make it look so weak/corny to inspure my people to want to do better…”

Smith has a point, man. This is a really good thing he’s doing! It’s not for publicity. It’s not because he wants a spotlight. It’s because he’s legitimately trying to get his degree and give himself a new experience.

He told us himself. He was on Instagram Live with some players from the NC A&T’s football team and they asked why Smith was back in school.

His answer was simple: To get a degree.

“I got everything else. Just need my degree.” 

And that’s a pretty cool thing, man. It’s something he should be extremely proud of and probably not something we should be making jokes about.