Former NBA guard J.R. Smith was arrested in Texas on Monday after police took him into custody on an assault charge.
Smith, whose legal first name is Earl, was arrested by the Royse City Police Department, with official jail records listing the charge as assault and referencing both “bodily harm” and “family violence.”
The 40-year-old was reportedly driving with his brother, former NBA player Chris Smith, when police stopped the vehicle after authorities were alerted to an outstanding warrant.
Smith was arrested “after an automatic license plate reader flagged the vehicle he was driving and alerted officers to an active warrant,” according to TMZ.
Smith’s brother was reportedly with him at the time of the arrest and was allowed to take possession of the vehicle afterward, according to ESPN.
Authorities described the arrest as part of an “ongoing investigation,” according to ESPN.
Further details surrounding the alleged incident that led to the warrant have not been made public. No bond had been set for Smith following the arrest, according to the jail records cited by Yahoo Sports.
Smith spent 16 seasons in the NBA after being selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets.
He later became one of the league’s most recognizable sixth men, spending time with the Denver Nuggets before joining the New York Knicks following a stint playing in China. Smith won Sixth Man of the Year with New York in 2013.
He was traded to Cleveland during the 2014-15 season and became a key part of the Cavaliers team that completed a historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors to win the 2016 NBA championship.
Smith later reunited with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in six regular-season games and 10 playoff games during their 2020 championship run.
After leaving the NBA, Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University and joined the school’s golf program. He graduated in May 2026.
The investigation surrounding Smith’s arrest remains ongoing, with authorities yet to release additional information about the allegations.
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