Earl Joseph “J.R.” Smith III, better known as J.R. Smith, is a professional basketball player from the United States who plays as a shooting guard. The New Orleans Hornets selected Smith in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft. He also spent time with the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Smith guided the Cavaliers to four NBA Championship Finals, one of which they won in 2016. In 2020, he won his second NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. During the NBA lockout, he played for the Chinese franchise, Zhejiang Golden Bulls.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name | J.R. Smith |
|---|---|
| Age | 38 Years |
| Nick Name | J.R. |
| Birth Name | Earl Joseph Smith III |
| Birth Date | 1985-09-09 |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Place Of Birth | Freehold Borough, New Jersey |
| Birth Nation | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous For | Won Two NBA Championships |
| Father | Earl Smith |
| Mother | Ida Smith |
| Siblings | 5 |
| Brothers | 3 |
| Sisters | 2 |
| Home Town | Clarksburg Section of Millstone Township, New Jersey |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| High School | Steinert High School, McCorristin Catholic High School, Lakewood High School, Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School |
| University | University of North Carolina |
| Career Start | Drafted in the 2004 NBA Draft |
| First Club | New Orleans Hornets |
| Current Club | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Jersey Number | 21 |
| Position | Shooting Guard |
| Current City | Los Angeles |
| Current Club Country | United States |
| Awards | Two NBA Championships |
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 220 lbs (100 kg) |
| Body Type | Athletic |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Jewel Harris |
| Married Date | 2016 |
| Children | 4 |
| Daughter | 3 |
| Source of Wealth | Basketball (Contract, Salary, Bonus, Endorsement), Basketball Manager (Contract, Salary) |
| Salary | $12.8 million |
| Net Worth | $35 million |
J.R. Smith Biography
J.R. Smith was born on September 9, 1985. Earl Joseph Smith III is his given name. His birthplace is in the United States, in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. He is a citizen of the United States. Earl Smith and Ida Smith, his mother, gave birth to him. He is the youngest of five siblings, with three brothers and two sisters. His hometown is Millstone Township, New Jersey, specifically the Clarksburg neighborhood. He is of African-American descent, and his religion is Christianity.
Smith attended a secondary school for five years. Steinert High School, McCorristin Catholic High School, Lakewood High School, and Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School were among the schools he attended. He played football and baseball before concentrating on basketball as a senior in high school. He went through a lengthy recruiting process before deciding to play college basketball for the University of North Carolina.
J.R. Smith Height, Weight
How tall is J.R. Smith? J.R. Smith stands at a height of 1.98 m i.e. 6 feet and 6 inches tall. He has a body weight of roughly 220 lbs i.e. 100 kg. He has an athletic body build. His eye color is dark brown and his hair color is black. He is known as the most extensively tattooed player in the NBA. He received his first tattoo at the age of 15. He has almost 70 tattoos on his body. His sexual orientation is straight.
J.R. Smith R Wife, Marriage
J.R. Smith is a married guy. He is married to Jewel Harris. The two got married in 2016. The couple has three children together, Demi Smith, Dakota Smith, and Peyton Smith. He also has a daughter from his previous relationship. More data regarding his personal life will be provided soon.
J.R. Smith Net Worth
J.R. Smith is a professional basketball player. Smith earns from his professional career as a basketball player. His income comes from contracts and salaries, and bonuses. He last played for the NBA team, Los Angeles Lakers with whom he won his second NBA Championship. He was drafted in the first round by the New Orleans Hornets and played for several NBA teams. During the NBA lockout, he played for the Chinese club, Zhejiang Golden Bulls. He had won his first NBA Championship with Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. His annual salary at Cavaliers was $12.8 million. His other income comes from sponsorships and endorsements. He endorsed Nike and Supreme in 2018. Cleveland clothing company started selling a T-shirt with Smith’s torso and upper arm tattoos in 2016. As of January 2024, his net worth is estimated at $35 million.
Career
J.R. Smith and Dwight Howard were named co-MVPs of the 2004 McDonald’s All-American Game. He then chose against attending college and instead entered the 2004 NBA Draft.
In the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft, he was chosen by the New Orleans Hornets. He had impressive stats in his first season, but he did not play in his second NBA season with the Hornets. As a result, he lost favor with the Hornets.
In July 2006, he was dealt with the Chicago Bulls. In just six days, the Bulls moved him to the Denver Nuggets. In his debut season with the Nuggets, he missed multiple games due to suspension and injuries. However, in the 2007-08 season, he rebounded and placed second in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He guided the Nuggets to two Northwest Division titles. He had tremendous stats for the Nuggets in 2009-10, but his stint was cut short due to the NBA lockout.
Due to the NBA lockout, he signed a one-year contract with the Chinese team Zhejiang Golden Bulls in September 2011 for an estimated $3 million. For the Golden Bulls, he averaged 34.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.
In February 2012, he returned to the NBA, signing with the New York Knicks. His remarkable season performance earned him the NBA Sixth Man of the Year honor. For breaking the NBA’s anti-drug policy, he was suspended for the first five games of the 2013-14 season. Before leaving the Knicks, he established multiple NBA and franchise records.
Smith was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in January 2015. In his first season with the Cavaliers, he helped them reach the NBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Golden State Warriors. Smith was instrumental in the Cavaliers avenging their 2016 NBA Championship Finals loss to the Warriors. He was a major member of the Cavaliers’ first-ever NBA championship team. The Warriors won their third consecutive NBA Championship Finals match. In the next season, the Cavaliers were defeated in the NBA Championship Finals by the Warriors. In July 2019, the Cavaliers waived him.
Smith agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2020 to play the rest of the 2019-20 season. He won his second NBA title, his first with the Lakers, after reuniting with his old Cavaliers teammate, LeBron James.
In 2021, he will attend North Carolina A&T State University. He intends to get a degree in liberal studies. He also intends to play golf with the Aggies. He is not retired and has not yet made a formal retirement announcement.
Trivia
- He was drafted 18th overall.
- He finished third in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2005 and 2009.
- He faced a 10-game NBA suspension from December 2006 to January 2007 following his involvement in the Knicks/Nuggets melee at New York’s Madison Square Garden on 16 December 2006.
- He is the first NBA player ever to record multiple games of 10+ 3-pointers.
- He is the first NBA player in 23 years to post three consecutive 30-points efforts off the bench.
- He is the third Knicks player to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
