Global Courant 2023-04-14 08:04:46
Former NBA guard JR Smith finally shares details about his infamous decision to insult Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones in 2018.
During a recent appearance on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast with retired NBA player JJ Redick, Smith recounted the incident and even recalled the specific type of soup he threw.
Smith said that while Jones is a “good guy”, he tended to keep “playing” with those around him, even if someone wasn’t in the mood for jokes.
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JR Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers tries to evade Stanley Johnson #7 of the Detroit Pistons during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on November 19, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Damon Jones is my man,” Smith said, per Sports Illustrated. “I like D-Jones – but he has a knack for playing too much… And for me, if I tell you I’m not in the mood right now… I had some things going on at home. I wasn’t playing well. I’m like ‘not now.'”
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Smith added that Jones started harassing him in the lunch area and that his decision to throw out the soup was well thought out.
“Of course I’m in the lunchroom getting my soup and (Jones) comes in… Mind you, the soup was hot. I’m the first person there. He’s trying to make me spill it. I’m not gonna lie , it took me a second because I really thought about it,” Smith noted.
“It wasn’t like a furious pitch. It was like, ‘OK, you’re playing with me. I know you’re playing with me. I’m going to show you.’ And I threw it on him. And he’s standing there screaming because that’s horny. I thought, ‘See, will you stop playing with me now? Will you stop playing?'”
Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith #5 handles the ball against the Washington Wizards on November 14, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
Smith said the bowl he threw at Jones contained chicken tortilla soup.
“What kind of soup was it?” Redick asked Smith.
“Chicken tortilla, one of my favorites,” replied Smith.
“Cream-based or tomato-based?” Redick asked.
“Tomato-based,” replied Smith.
JR Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts to his team’s first quarter deficit against the Boston Celtics in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Smith also revealed that Jones approached him the next day and apologized.
The Cavs ultimately decided to suspend Smith for one game. He said the organization had to punish him for the public fallout.
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“A lot of it is like it’s coming out, so the team feels like they have to do something about it,” said Smith.
Smith last played for the Lakers in 2020, the same year he won his second championship.
Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
