J.R. Smith: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

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Brian Windhorst says he loves what Jabari Smith told Houston Rockets the moment they drafted him, predicts his future

Jabari Smith Jr. was one of the most touted players coming out of college as he had stellar performances for Auburn. The 22-year-old was expected to be picked first overall by the Orlando Magic, but slipped to third overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and was selected by the Houston Rockets.

Entertainment News / Music Times / August 10

Busta Rhymes Dismisses Former Assistant's Allegations as 'Disgruntled' Claims

Busta Rhymes is firing back at his former assistant's claims, calling them the work of a "disgruntled" ex-employee. The rapper, whose real name is Trevor Smith Jr., is facing a federal lawsuit filed by Dashiel Gables, who accuses him of assault, battery, and workplace abuse.

Jordan Smith, Nation’s No. 2 Prospect Has Leader in Recruitment

The recruitment of the nation’s No. 2 prospect, 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr., has a leader, analysts say. The 6-foot-3 Smith recently disclosed a final six of Arkansas, Duke, Georgetown, Indiana, Kentucky and Syracuse.

Khris Middleton News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The '2021-22 NBA All-Stars' quiz

Including injury replacements, 27 players were selected for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. How many of the 27 can you name in five minutes?

The 'NBA minutes leaders by season' quiz

The 'Active 20 point-per-game NBA seasons leaders' quiz

The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz

Charlotte Hornets News / Charlotte Hornets on SI / August 8

Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. to change jersey number for 2025-26 season

Growing up, I was obsessed with buying any sports jerseys I could. It reached its peak during 2020, when I found myself spending hundreds of dollars across different websites, getting jerseys from players such as Ja Morant to Charles Barkley.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 worst contracts in the NBA for 2025-26

Not every player on here is bad or overrated - rather, the contract is one that is currently or has the chance to be a cap killer moving forward.

Indiana Hoosiers News / Indiana Hoosiers on SI / August 5

Indiana Basketball Among Finalists for Best Guard in 2026 Recruiting Class

Indiana men's basketball is among the final six options for Jordan Smith Jr., the highest-ranked guard in the 2026 recruiting class and a consensus top five player overall.

Arkansas Razorbacks News / WholeHogSports / August 5

Arkansas basketball makes cut for 5-star Jordan Smith

ESPN 5-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. has narrowed his list of schools to six with Arkansas making the cut.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 most eccentric NBA players of all time

The NBA has produced some memorable characters during its long and storied existence, but some were undoubtedly more peculiar than others. Here's our look at 25 that stand out -- for better or worse, listed in alphabetical order.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / August 1

Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Provides All-World Praise for Amen Thompson

It's no secret the Houston Rockets have one of the strongest young cores in the league, as the roster is filled with young talent from top to bottom. That young core was a major part of landing the Western Conference's No.

Houston Rockets News / Hardwood Heroics / August 1

'My Favorite Player Until He Went to Golden State' – Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. Jokes About Kevin Durant’s 2016 Decision

Jabari Smith Jr. still can’t believe he is now teammates with Kevin Durant, and the Houston Rockets youngster recently took a playful jab at the former league MVP during his appearance on The Young Man and The Three podcast.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / July 31

Behind the Scenes: Jabari Smith's Offseason Grind

The Houston Rockets, after winning 52 games and making the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season, have high hopes going into the upcoming season.

NBA News / NBA Analysis Network / July 31

Jabari Smith Jr reveals exactly what separates Giannis Antetokounmpo from other NBA superstars, ‘You don’t see that’

Everyone knows that Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA, but what makes him great? The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft, and it has turned out to be one of the biggest steals in league history.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most multi-HR games by MLB team' quiz

The 'Season rushing TD leaders by NFL team' quiz

The 'MLB franchise home run leaders' quiz

The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz

College Football News / A to Z Sports / July 31

Tennessee Vols true freshman has a truly insane goal for the 2025 college football season

Tennessee Vols true freshman wide receiver Travis Smith Jr has a truly insane goal for the 2025 college football season. And the confidence he has in himself as a player might give him a chance to accomplish that goal.

Houston Rockets News / Fadeaway World / July 31

Jabari Smith Jr. Grew Up Idolizing New Teammate Kevin Durant Before Warriors Move

Jabari Smith Jr. is now living every young hooper’s dream, sharing a locker room with the player he once idolized. On a recent episode of The Old Man and The Three podcast, the Houston Rockets forward opened up about his childhood admiration for Kevin Durant and how surreal it feels to now call him a teammate.

College Basketball News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / July 31

Duke Basketball Pursuing Three Premier 2026 Guards

St. John Bosco High School (Calif.) five-star Brandon McCoy Jr., Paul VI Catholic High School (Va.) five-star Jordan Smith Jr., and Melissa High School (Texas) four-star Austin Goosby account for a third of the 2026 preps who have received an offer from fourth-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / July 28

Houston Rockets Forward Has High Praise for New Teammate

If anyone on the Rockets has a lot to learn from Kevin Durant, it is 22-year-old forward Jabari Smith Jr., who has tremendous upside. He came into the league drawing a few comparisons to the future Hall of Famer due to the similarities in build and Smith's athleticism resembles a younger Durant coming out of Texas.

Philadelphia Eagles News / Inside the Iggles / July 26

Nolan Smith Jr.'s tough self assessment tells Eagles fans all they need to know

The Philadelphia Eagles are looking for growth from their young players on the roster. Even when they have tough days on the field, it's not a bad thing if they are self aware.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Basketball Report / July 25

Duke Recruiting: Jordan Smith Update

Nothing is ever set in stone, but looks like Duke is in a good position here. There’s nothing tangible here yet, but Joe Tipton of Rivals thinks that Duke leads for Jordan Smith.

NBA News / NIL on SI / July 24

Vols football players donate $10k to community center from NIL earnings

Two incoming members of the Tennessee Volunteers football team are hoping to make an impact on the field during their true freshman seasons, but they have wasted no time making an immediate impact in the Knoxville community.

College Basketball News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / July 22

Five-Star Guard Plans to Visit Duke Basketball Program Again

Paul VI Catholic High School (Va.) backcourt phenom Jordan Smith Jr. hasn't named finalists in his recruitment. Moreover, the longtime Duke basketball target hasn't confirmed a date for picking a winner.

Charlotte Hornets News / Charlotte Hornets on SI / July 17

Could KJ Simpson's rise potentially force Nick Smith Jr. out of Charlotte?

The Charlotte Hornets have made major changes this offseason, reshaping their roster with a focus on the backcourt. But with so many guards in the mix, there simply won’t be room for everyone—and one player who could be in danger is former first-round pick Nick Smith Jr.

Charlotte Hornets News / Charlotte Hornets on SI / July 5

Hornets' backcourt jam puts Nick Smith Jr. firmly on the trade radar

The Charlotte Hornets have a surplus of guards, and with the team signing all four of its draft picks to standard contracts, they are four over the 15-man roster limit.

NBA News / Fadeaway World / June 13

J.R. Smith Sets The Record Straight On His Infamous 2018 Finals Blunder

At first glance, the 2018 NBA Finals don't look like anything special. The Warriors beat the Cavaliers 4-0 that year in a dominant display of greatness.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / May 9

JR Smith Admits He Cried When Knicks Traded Him To Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired JR Smith and Iman Shumpert from the New York Knicks in January 2015. Smith and Shumpert helped the Cavaliers reach the 2015 NBA Finals, where LeBron James and Co.

New York Knicks News / Fastbreak on SI / May 8

Former NBA Star Reveals He Cried After Cavs-Knicks Trade

J.R. Smith was once among the best role players in the NBA. The 2013 6th Man of The Year last played during the 2019-20 season when he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

NBA News / Fadeaway World / May 8

JR Smith's Priceless Real-Time Reaction To The Knicks Beating Celtics In Game 2

Former NBA player JR Smith shared a priceless, real-time reaction to his former team, the New York Knicks, coming up with a win against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the playoffs. The former Knicks guard could be seen commenting through the screen, pleading his team to lock in on defense in the last possession of the game.