LeBron once unusually complimented JR Smith by comparing him to a dolphin: 'They’re really killers, sharks are afraid of them'

From improving his three-point shooting late in the 30s to still being an unstoppable freight train on both ends of the floor in Year 22, to still being able to outrun most players at the age of 39 after having a strict and disciplined lifestyle, LeBron James has been epitome all aspiring players should follow to attain success.

Even off the court, "The King" is a savvy entrepreneur with a billion-dollar net worth. Though clearly he needs no help when making business decisions or playing on the court, one area where the 20-time All-Star might need some help would be when he compliments his teammates.

That was evident when the four-time MVP praised JR Smith by comparing him to a dolphin just to shed light on the latter's remarkable basketball IQ.

JR Smith had impressed LeBron James

When LeBron returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015, JR had already established himself as a reliable sixth man during his tenure with the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 13.7 points over five seasons and came as close to being the 6MOTY runner-up in the 08-09 campaign. Eventually, when he averaged 18.1 points per game during his time with the New York Knicks, Smith was handed the prestigious award in 2018.

Naturally, his arrival in the Cavs team midway through the 2014-15 season was seen as a critical move to bolster the team's prowess as championship contenders.

Unsurprisingly, Smith seamlessly integrated into Cleveland's starting lineup, averaging 12.7 points per game in the regular season and only improving his scoring output in the playoffs to help the Cavs reach the championship round. The following season, 2015-16, JR emerged as one of Cleveland's most consistent two-way players, contributing 12.4 points and 1.1 steals per game. In the Finals against the Golden State Warriors, he was the Cavaliers' third-highest scorer, playing a crucial role in their historic comeback to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

After the Cavs' triumph, LeBron lavished praise on Smith during his appearance on the 'Open Run' podcast. In an unconventional twist, "King James" compared JR to a dolphin to shed light on how he maximizes his potential in a team setting.

"JR is like a dolphin, man. You know why? I watch a lot of these… what is it called, Open Water? Or National Geographic, and dolphins like, they're really killers. Sharks are afraid of them," the four-time MVP said. "But, they gotta have a group around them to become the best of their ability… and incredibly smart."

Did James jinx Smith?

Interestingly, following this praise, JR's production began to decline. In the 2016-17 season, his scoring average dropped to 8.6 points per game and fell further to 8.3 points the following year. Even his basketball IQ, often lauded by LeBron, came under scrutiny during the infamous Game 1 freeze-out of the 2018 NBA Finals, where Smith ran out the clock instead of attempting a potential game-winning shot.

Safe to say, that moment became emblematic of his struggles, overshadowing his earlier contributions. It only seemed that the dolphin analogy might have inadvertently marked the beginning of "The Prodigy's" decline.