Before his return to the NBA, JR Smith found himself in a rare position — being courted simultaneously by Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony.
During his appearance on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony, Smith detailed the flurry of recruitment texts and calls he received while playing in China.
“Kobe Bryant texted me, he’s like, ‘Yo, man. I need an alpha,’” Smith recalled, via HoopsHype, revealing the Lakers legend was actively trying to bring him to Los Angeles.
Smith, who was represented by Leon Rose at the time, also heard from another client of Rose’s — Chris Paul. “CP started hitting me,” he said. “He’s like, ‘Yo, bro, like you need to come to the Clippers, we need to figure this out.’”
Caught between two All-NBA point guards, Smith didn’t initially consider the New York Knicks. That changed when Carmelo Anthony called directly.
“He’s like, ‘You ain’t coming to New York with me?’” Smith recounted. “And I’m like, ‘All right, man. I’ll be there Monday.’”
The guard eventually joined the Knicks in 2012, where he won NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2013. Smith’s chemistry with Anthony helped stabilize the Knicks during a brief stretch of playoff appearances.
But by 2015, the team had shifted direction under a new front office. Smith was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Iman Shumpert in a midseason trade that left him stunned.
“I cried,” he said, reflecting on the moment he was informed in Memphis. Smith didn’t hide his disappointment, citing his connection to New York and frustrations with how the change was handled.
The move, however, proved pivotal to his career. Smith became a key contributor to Cleveland’s 2016 championship run, starting all 21 postseason games during that title-winning campaign.
