J.R. Smith played in the NBA for sixteen years.
And while he found plenty of success — especially in the later stages of his career — he wasn’t exactly portrayed as a positive influence in the locker room.
Smith’s unapologetic persona often made him a bit of a pariah in the eyes of the media.
He never hesitated to get physical or in any of his rivals’ faces if things got heated, and his shot selection was rather unconscious from time to time.
But Smith decided to get his career on track when he was traded by the New York Knicks.
He decided to keep the main thing the main thing, stopped partying, and focused entirely on basketball.
Smith then became one of the best role players in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title runs, redefining his persona in the eyes of the fans and even becoming a bit of a fan favorite.
That’s why so many people were hyped to see that the former NBA champion will premiere a documentary about his life back in college.
This JR Smith Doc On Amazon Looks 🔥🔥WOW! pic.twitter.com/5w5iTMvo2r
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 9, 2023
Im gonna have to watch this
— alex-duke (@Dukealexx) April 10, 2023
Hennething is possible
— Per Sources (@PerSources) April 9, 2023
JR pulling up to the golf meets pic.twitter.com/JamCR3jerG
— 0 𝒟𝑒𝑔𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓈 🪂 (@CookedBy0) April 9, 2023
JR better than me tbh, he opened up the book. I got through 3 English courses with an A+ in all of them just working with summaries online 😭
— RJ Barrett Fanatic | Luka DonKnick 🔜 (@PlayoffBoundNYK) April 9, 2023
Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T to pursue a degree in liberal arts and try and make the golf team, one of the best stories in recent years for a former NBA player.
He knew some people would doubt him or even mock him, but it was all about proving that he could do it.
So, the next time someone tells you J.R. Smith wasn’t a good influence for younger hoopers, you just need to show him this footage.
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