The National Basketball Association’s Sixth Man of the Year 2013, JR Smith, who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is one of the most talked-about individuals in the league, both on and off the court.
The Shooting Guard, who started playing professional basketball right out of high school after being selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th overall score in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft, is the 2016 NBA Championship winner with the Cavaliers and is known for his incredible three-point shots.
JR Smith Biography
JR Smith was born Earl Joseph “J. R.” Smith III was born on 9 September 1985 in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, USA, as the son of his parents Earl and Ida Smith. He attended Millstone Middle School after growing up in the area, the Clarksburg section of Millstone Parish, New Jersey.
Smith attended a number of high schools, including Steinert High School, McCorristin Catholic High School, Lakewood High School, and then St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, where he graduated. It was at Lakewood, however, that Smith’s love of the game became apparent when he started playing high school basketball there. When he later moved to St. Benedict’s Prep, his game changed for the better, and his performances attracted the attention of many colleges, most notably Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels. In 2003, he signed a letter of intent to play in the program, but later changed his mind and qualified for the 2004 draft after an MVP appearance at McDonald’s All-American Game, where he scored 25 points. He was one of nine players to make it straight from high school that year to the league.
In his first season in the NBA, Smith was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for three consecutive months – January, February, and March 2005. This year he participated in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Competition and finished third behind Amare Stoudemire and Josh Smith.
The standard that JR Smith had set in his first season was unfortunately not reached in his second full year. The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina could have played a role, as the team had to play its games in Oklahoma City. In addition, Chris Paul’s line-up meant Smith’s role was even shorter than his starting line.
ALSO READ: Gigi Gorgeous Bio, Girlfriend or Boyfriend, Net Worth, Age and Documentary
For the 2006-07 season, the Hornets decided to trade Smith for Tyson Chandler at the Chicago Bulls in a package with P.J. Brown. He was then transferred from the Bulls to the Denver Nuggets for two draft picks in the second round and to Howard Eisley.
Smith’s time in Denver was full of ups and downs. Just a few months after his signing, the New Jersey-born American was involved in the infamous brawl between the Knicks and the Nuggets, which resulted in a 10-game suspension. Later in the season, he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee but still managed to play a role in the playoffs this year. In October 2007, he was involved in an accident at a nightclub in Denver that led to a three-game suspension. After that incident, Smith began to focus more on his game while helping his team reach the playoffs, including a trip to the Western Conference finals. In one season, he managed to achieve the second-highest three-point finish in the league from the bench.
JR Smith spent the 2011-12 season in China, where he played for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls due to the NBA lockout. The following season he returned and signed with the New York Knicks. In his second year with the Knicks, Smith received the Sixth Man Award. This made him a fan favorite, as he was the first Knick since John Starks won the award in the 1996-97 season.
On January 5, 2015, Smith moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside his teammate Iman Shumpert, where he found stability alongside Lebron James for the first time in his career. In Cleveland, he set the franchise playoff record for the season with eight three-point finishes against the Atlanta Hawks on the bench. The team lost the 2015 NBA finals to the Golden State Warriors.
The following season he signed with the team again and won his first and only championship to date when the Cavaliers became the first team ever to win a series after a 3-1 deficit. He is also currently ranked 11th in the NBA’s 3-point list.
JR Smith’s Family – Wife, Daughter, Brother
JR Smith comes from a large family. He has three brothers and two sisters. One of his younger brothers, Chris, played at Manhattan and Louisville before briefly featuring alongside him on the Knicks in the 2013–14 season. His other brother, Dimitrius plays football and is currently at Monmouth University.
ALSO READ: AnnaSophia Robb Bio, Age, Height, Net Worth, Boyfriend And Family
JR Smith Net Worth
The net worth of JR Smith is approximately $20 million. This is largely due to his fairly lucrative NBA contract. With so much money in the bank, it’s only right that you spoil yourself from time to time. In the case of JR Smith, he buys cars. He currently owns a number of luxurious cars, including a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a Ferrari 458, a Range Rover, a Mercedes-Benz S550, and G550, and a Bentley Mulsanne.
Quick Facts (Height, Weight)
Birth Name: Earl Joseph “J. R.” Smith III
Place of Birth: Freehold Borough, New Jersey
Date of Birth: September 9, 1985
Nationality: American
Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight: 225 lb (102 kg)
Marital Status: Married
Net Worth: $20 million
