Former NBA Guard JR Smith Arrested in Texas on Assault Charge

The Arrest in Texas

Former NBA player JR Smith was arrested on Monday in Texas. Jail records show he faces an assault charge causing bodily injury family violence.

Smith is 41 years old. Officers from the Royse City Police Department booked him into the Hunt County Detention Center on Monday. By midday Tuesday, he remained in jail with no bond set.

The arrest happened after Royse City police received an alert about a warrant. The Southlake police department had issued a warrant for Smith, according to a release from Royse City Police Chief Kirk Aldridge.

Officers spotted Smith's license plate on Interstate 30, northeast of Dallas. They identified Smith and arrested him. He was driving with his brother at the time. Police released the car to Smith's brother when they made the arrest. A Southlake police spokesperson said he could not release further information on the arrest at this time. Southlake is northwest of Dallas.

Past Legal Trouble

This is not the first time Smith has faced legal issues. In 2009, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 60 days suspended, and 500 hours of community service. That sentence was for reckless driving after he caused a car accident that killed one of his friends in 2007.

Smith expressed remorse for the crash in court. He said, "it's been unbearable to deal with. I'm deeply sorry."

His representatives did not immediately respond to a message requesting comment about his recent arrest in Texas.

A Long NBA Career

Smith played 16 seasons in the NBA. During his long career, he played for the New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.

His last game in the league was in 2020 with the Lakers. Over his career, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He won two NBA championships as a player and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2013.

After his time in the NBA, Smith decided to play college golf. He played for North Carolina A&T and graduated from the school in May.