J.R. Smith
From Hoopedia
Earl Smith III, known as J.R. Smith (born September 9, 1985 in Freehold Borough, New Jersey), is an American National Basketball Association player currently with the Denver Nuggets.
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High School
Smith played at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. He averaged over 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists during his career there. In the fall of 2003, Smith signed a letter of intent to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
NBA
In April of 2004, he decided to forgo college and make himself eligible for the NBA Draft. He was selected eighteenth overall in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets - one of nine players who were drafted that year straight out of high school. In his rookie season, he averaged 10.3 points, 2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
He participated in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Competition in 2005 finishing behind Amare Stoudemire and the eventual winner, Josh Smith. J.R. Smith performed the one and only "behind-the-back" dunk.
On July 13, 2006 the Hornets formally traded Smith and forward/center P.J. Brown to the Chicago Bulls for center Tyson Chandler. On July 19, 2006 Smith was traded again, this time to the Denver Nuggets for guard Howard Eisley and two 2007 second round draft picks.
On December 8, 2006, in a win over the Miami Heat, Smith recorded a career-high 37 points. He also had a career-high in 3-pointers made (7), all of which were made in the first half.
On December 16, 2006, he was involved in the Knicks-Nuggets brawl. For this brawl he was suspended by the league for 10 games.
On February 2, 2007, Smith and fellow teammate Carmelo Anthony were involved in a car accident. Neither player was injured in the collision and the only details released by the team at this point was that the car J.R. was driving belonged to Anthony.
On February 20, 2007, Smith injured his left knee which required knee surgery.
First Trip to the Playoffs
J.R. Smith's first trip to the playoffs during the 2006-2007 season with the Denver Nuggets was viewed by many as widely disappointing. Smith, a 39% 3 point shooter during the regular season, failed to connect on any 3 point shots in the first four games and also was criticized for poor decision making by coach George Karl. After game four, Karl informed reporters of his plan to bench Smith for all of game 5. Karl said, "He's done," and explained his frustrations over Smith's poor judgement to shoot a three late in the game, "I have no idea what planet that came from." Karl told The Associated Press that he had drawn up the play to give the ball to either Allen Iverson or Carmelo Anthony. Karl did not stop there and continued venting over Smith's poor play, "And then, of course the one with eight seconds to go, from 50 feet, I just love the dignity of the game being insulted right in front of me."
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