Key Takeaways
- J.R. Smith must avoid contact with an unidentified woman and stay at least 333 yards from her home and workplace under an emergency protective order that also bars him from possessing firearms through Dec. 29.
- Prosecutors charged the two-time NBA champion with assault causing bodily injury involving family violence after he allegedly hit, grabbed, or pushed the woman during a Sept. 18 altercation in Texas.
- Smith posted a $5,000 bond after his Sept. 28 arrest, and his attorney said he is “presumed innocent” and eager to resolve the case in court.
J.R. Smith has been ordered to cut off contact with a woman after the former NBA guard was accused of causing “serious bodily injury” during an alleged domestic incident in Texas.
According to The New York Post, an emergency protective order signed Sept. 29 bars Smith from communicating with the woman outside of contact through an attorney. He must also remain at least 333 yards from her home and workplace and cannot possess firearms or ammunition. The order is set to remain in effect through Dec. 29.
The case traces back to a Sept. 18 alleged altercation. According to a criminal complaint filed Oct. 2, Smith allegedly hit, grabbed, or pushed the woman with his hand. Prosecutors claim he “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” injured someone described in court records as a member of his family or household, or a person with whom he had a dating relationship.
The woman has not been publicly identified.
Smith was arrested Sept. 28 after officers pulled over his vehicle in Royse City, Texas, and discovered an active warrant from the Southlake Police Department. His brother was reportedly in the vehicle and was allowed to take possession of it after Smith was detained.
The two-time NBA champion was booked into the Hunt County Detention Center and released the following day on $5,000 bond. He has since been charged with one count of assault causing bodily injury involving family violence.
“JR is eager to see this matter resolved and has full confidence in the legal process,” his attorney, Justin A. Moore, said in a statement. “He is presumed innocent, and we will address this matter in Court. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved throughout the process.”
According to the Post, Moore did not respond to a subsequent request for comment concerning the protective order.
The New Jersey native entered the league directly from high school in 2004 and became one of his generation’s most recognizable role players, winning Sixth Man of the Year with the New York Knicks in 2013 before earning championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Smith later enrolled at North Carolina A&T, graduated with a liberal arts degree, and joined the university’s golf team as a walk-on before competing in amateur tournaments.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
