Former NBA player J.R. Smith was arrested in Texas on September 28, but not before a Royse City Police Department officer gave him an earful about LeBron James and the Luka Dončić trade, according to body camera footage obtained by TMZ.com.
The traffic stop occurred on a Texas roadway when officers suspected there was an active warrant for Smith's arrest. While they verified the warrant, Smith stepped out of his vehicle and the conversation turned to basketball. Smith told the officers he retired from the NBA in 2020 and discussed his career path, including his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
When asked about championship rings, Smith said he had two. An officer then asked if he had won one with Kyrie Irving, and Smith clarified that he won with both Irving and James.
That clarification prompted one officer, who appeared to be a Dallas Mavericks fan, to refer to James as "He who shall not be named," according to TMZ.com. When Smith asked if the officer was not a fan, the officer blamed James for the 2025 deal that sent Dončić to Los Angeles.
"He stole Luka from us," the officer said, as reported by TMZ.com. "That was all him."
A second officer agreed that nobody was happy about the trade, and the first officer indicated the frustration remained fresh even a year later, per TMZ.com.
The basketball discussion ended when officers confirmed the active warrant. Smith was arrested on a charge of assault causing bodily injury — family violence, stemming from an alleged incident on September 18 in Tarrant County. He was released shortly after being taken into custody and is due back in court next month.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
