J.R. Smith Arrested in Texas on Assault Charge

Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith was arrested Tuesday in Texas on a charge of assault causing bodily injury and family violence, according to Hunt County jail records. Smith, a former Sixth Man of the Year award winner, was reportedly stopped by an automatic license plate reader, which led to the discovery of an outstanding warrant.

He is currently being held at the Hunt County Detention Center, with no bond posted as of Tuesday, according to TMZ. Smith played his last NBA season in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning his second championship.

Known for his stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, Smith won an NBA title with Cleveland and the Sixth Man of the Year award during his time with the Knicks. Although he has not formally retired, his absence from the league for the past six years suggests the end of his professional basketball career.

Smith recently graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in May 2026, where he also played for the school's golf team. This is not his first legal issue; he previously pleaded guilty to reckless driving in connection with a 2007 crash that resulted in a passenger's death, for which he served 24 days in jail.