Earl Joseph “J. R.” Smith III, born September 9, 1985, is a former National Basketball Association professional basketball player from the United States (NBA). Smith played high school basketball at Newark’s Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School, a basketball powerhouse in New Jersey.
He entered the NBA directly from high school after the New Orleans Hornets selected him with the 18th overall choice in the first round of the 2004 NBA draught. He has also played for the Denver Nuggets, the New York Knicks, and the Chinese Basketball Association’s Zhejiang Golden Bulls. With the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Smith earned two NBA titles.
Early Life
J.R. Smith was born on September 9th, 1985 in Freehold Borough, New Jersey; however, he spent the majority of his childhood in Lakewood, a small blue-collar town located in the middle of the state. It is more common to refer to him by his stage name, J. R. Smith, while his birth name is Earl Joseph Smith III. He was raised in a close-knit, sports-loving family, and he once gave an interview to ESPN in which he gave much of the credit for his accomplishments to his parents.
Smith’s mother, Ida Smith, was also a skilled markswoman, and his father, Earl Smith, Jr., was a notable marksman in his own right. There are also a brother named Chris Smith and a brother named Dimitrius Smith in his family, in addition to a sister named Stephanie Smith. Chris Smith, J. R.’s younger brother, is also an NBA player and follows in his older brother’s footsteps by pursuing a career in professional basketball.
College Career
Moving on to J. R.’s educational background, while he was growing up he went to a few different schools. After completing his education at Millstone Middle School in 1999, he continued his education at Steinert High School and McCorristin Catholic High School respectively. After much deliberation, he decided to attend Lakewood High School, where he quickly became a member of the school’s basketball team.
During his time at Lakewood High School, he had two successful seasons playing basketball for the school’s team. However, this didn’t continue long because he later transferred to Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School, where he began playing basketball once more.
During this period, Smith also acquired an interest in other sports and started playing football and baseball before eventually going back to his first love, basketball. However, in April of 2004, his plans were altered when he took part in the McDonald’s All-American Game, in which he scored 25 points and was voted co-MVP alongside young Dwight Howard.
Following that outstanding performance, Smith made the decision to forego further education and instead make himself available for selection in the 2004 NBA Draft.
J. R., on the other hand, has known since he was a toddler that he wanted to be a basketball player. He had to share his bed with a basketball and a plastic hoop, both of which were strategically positioned throughout the house. The young youngster had already mastered the art of making free throws by the time he turned three years old.
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Personal Life
J. R. married Jewel Harris in August of 2016, and the couple has been blessed with three daughters: Demi Smith, Dakota Smith, and Peyton Smith. In January of 2017, he welcomed his youngest daughter, Dakota, who was born with acute prematurity. Smith is also the father to a second daughter, who comes from a previous relationship.
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J. R. Smith’s Net Worth
It is anticipated that J. R. Smith will have a net worth of around $35 million US by the year 2022. Smith, in contrast to the majority of NBA players, was able to realise his desire of playing in an NBA game at a younger age by entering the NBA directly after graduating from high school.
Smith has been able to amass such an enormous fortune throughout the course of his lengthy and fruitful career in the NBA. He has also had a career that is rather long. The most recent deal that J. R. Smith has signed was with the Cavaliers in 2016, and it is for a staggering $57 million over the course of four years.
According to the terms of his contract, Smith is expected to receive an annual salary of almost $14 million. He is one of the most well-known American professional basketball players currently active in the NBA, and he has received a great deal of acclaim during his career. His money comes from a variety of sources, including endorsement deals and television advertising, in addition to NBA contracts.