USA TODAY International Edition
Smith has made leaps since joining Cavaliers
OAKLAND We know the mischievous J. R. Smith. ( Untying an opponent’s shoelaces during a free throw.) We know the wisecracking J. R. (“You can’t have it all,” Smith told GQ about LeBron James’ disappearing hair.)
We know the playful J. R. ( Taking selfies on stage with James in a postgame news conference.) We know the no- conscious, freeshooting J. R. ( When in doubt, shoot the ball, he says.)
It’s time to know more about the caring, kindhearted, loving J. R. Smith.
Smith’s and wife Jewell Harris’ infant daughter, Dakota, was born five months premature in January and weighed about 1 pound.
“When I first had my daughter on the second day of January, she was no bigger than this phone,” the Cleveland Cavaliers guard told reporters during the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Smith and Harris have been open about their ordeal. They posted a touching video when they told the world their story and shared adorable and heartening photos, including joyous ones the day Dakota left the hospital in May after nearly five months in the neonatal intensive care unit. They also bought flowers on Mother’s Day for every mom with a child in the NICU.
“It’s great to have her home,” Smith said. “All our thoughts and prayers and wishes came true fortunately, and she’s doing well. She’s good. She’s a bundle of joy. She smiles all the time. She’s always hungry, so that means she’s getting bigger, so that helps. Overall she’s doing great.”
Life- changing events provide enlightening perspective, magnifying the difference between the important and the insignificant. Live long enough, and light shines bright on the meaningful. Smith, 31, knows. Is pressure making a threepoint shot in the Finals? Is pres- sure guarding Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson?
“Going through everything we went through, I really don’t consider this stress,” Smith said. “I consider it as much fun and play as possible. That’s the stressful part, worrying about her and everything as far as medical. So this stuff is playtime. This is easy.”
Life is tough. Basketball is a game. “Just not having control over what’s going on in your life,” Smith told USA TODAY Sports when asked about the most difficult part of Dakota’s first days. “You have to put your belief ahead of everything.”
The most joyous part? “Bringing her home,” Smith said.
His growth since joining the Cavs in a 2015 trade has altered his image — from talented but imprudent knucklehead to trusted, respected and reliable teammate committed to defending rather than just chucking shots.
Smith, who’s averaging 6.4 points and is shooting 45.1% on three- pointers in the playoffs and had an impressive + 19.1 net rating in the first three rounds, is a necessary part of Cleveland’s success.
Smith has found a home in Cleveland and with the Cavaliers, turning what was a decent career into one that includes three Finals appearances and a title. He sacrificed, eliminating golf during the season, though his outings are legendary. He once golfed 54 holes — 36 one day, 18 the next — in Orlando and played in a CavsOrlando Magic game after that.
But he didn’t want golf to be an excuse why Cleveland came up short of a title in 2015 or this season. “I put golf away until after the season,” he said.
It paid off last season, as Smith dedicated himself to defense while still providing a scoring threat, just like this season. No one thought Smith could play that kind of defense.
But a year ago at Quicken Loans Arena before the Cavs championship parade — and before Smith decided shirtless was the way to go — he drank Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and talked defense.
“More than anything, I just wish I did it a long time ago and made that turn,” he said.
Why now and not earlier in his career? “I’m not sure,” he said. “Probably right team, right situation, everybody buying in and putting pride aside.”
Just days before the parade, he helped Cleveland to that championship with eight of his 12 points in the third quarter. After the game, with his dad, Earl, in the news conference room on Father’s Day, Smith gave his parents a beautiful spoken- word gift.
“My parents, my family, that’s the biggest inspiration in my life,” Smith began. “I’ve been in a lot of dark spots in my life, and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to get out of it. But they are who they are. They fought with me. They yelled at me, they screamed at me, they loved me, they hugged me, they cried with me, and they always stuck by my side, no matter right or wrong.
“The cars are nice, the houses are nice, but none of this matters without them. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know where I would be, honestly. If it wasn’t for them, if it wasn’t for the structure and the backbone that I have, I wouldn’t be able to mess up and keep coming back and being able to sit in front of you as a world champion.”
His mom, Ida, cried. His dad gave him a hug.
“It was very special to me,” Smith said.
That’s the J. R. Smith you should know, too.