NBA Champion JR Smith Arrested on Assault Charge in Texas
The former player faces a charge of 'assault caused bodily injury family violence' and remains in custody.
Former NBA star JR Smith has been arrested in Hunt County, Texas, on a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member, according to jail records. Smith, 41, is currently being held at the Hunt County Detention Center.
Smith played 16 seasons in the NBA, winning two championships alongside LeBron James: one with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Following his retirement from basketball, Smith briefly pursued a career in golf, enrolling at North Carolina A&T State University and graduating last spring with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies.
His history includes a prior conviction for reckless driving stemming from a fatal car accident and an incident in 2018 where he was fined for throwing a fan's cell phone into a construction site. The player also faced league and coach scrutiny for various incidents, including being fined twice for untying opponents' shoes during games and a 2012 arrest for operating a motor scooter without a valid license. In 2018, he reportedly threw hot soup on an assistant coach.
Smith was a notable player, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors and averaging 12.4 points per game over his career with multiple teams, including the Hornets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cavaliers, and Lakers.