Former Knicks Headache J.R. Smith Accused Of Choking A 19-Year-Old Student At A Pizzeria
NY Daily News- Former New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith has been accused of choking a 19-year-old high school student in Chelsea after the younger man quipped about the hoopster’s trade to Cleveland.
Smith, 30, has not been arrested in connection to the alleged incident outside Artichoke Basille’s Pizza about 4 a.m. on Nov. 13 at W. 17th St. and Tenth Ave., which shares a block with ultra-trendy celebrity hangout 1OAK.
The teen, Justin Brown, who wears braces and hails from Harlem, was with pals who chided Smith for ignoring their fan request for a photo. Smith is seen on a cell phone video walking away from the group, sources said. “That’s why New York kicked you out, yo!” Brown remarked.
Brown told cops that after the verbal brush, Smith, who is 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, checked him against the exterior of the building and put his hands around Brown’s neck, police sources said.
Oh Earl. Earl, Earl, Earl. Why are you (allegedly) doing stupid shit like this? One day you are throwing “You Want The Pipe?” questions at teenagers, the next you are (allegedly) choking one that HAS BRACES at a place named Artichoke’s. Braces should be like the new glasses. You shouldn’t hit anyone that uses them. It just seems wrong to me. Even when Joe Girardi had braces as like a 50-year-old man a few seasons ago. He was a 12-year-old girl in my mind, looking forward to getting different color rubberbands in his mouth. And J.R. was born and raised in New Jersey. How can you not handle some teenager with braces calling you trash? Everyone here is always angry and hates each other, especially when the weather starts getting cold. Be better, Earl.
There were a lot of jokes were flying around after the Knicks shipped J.R. and Shump to Cleveland in a three-team trade that landed Dion Waiters in OKC, an Thunder pick in Cleveland (along with the two former Knicks), while New York only received Lance Thomas. Everyone thought the Knicks were at least getting the first round pick because of the talent they dealt away. Nope. The Zen Master went the “take this likable flat-topped, injury prone asset for free as long as you take J.R.’s dumb ass” route and hasn’t looked back since.
Now granted, J.R. was never really malicious in New York. He was your stupid cousin that would get way too drunk and embarrass himself and the family by falling on the dance floor or something. Not the stupid cousin that chokes out a teenager at a pizzeria. But Big Chief Triangle looks pretty smart right now. Probably saw the path to Godzingis was wide open and had to ship out the baddest apple in Gotham before his 7’3″ Latvian fawn arrived. First GM LeBron shipped out Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love. Then he openly accepted a Trojan Horse from New York. Cleveland gonna Cleveland. J.R. gonna allegedly J.R.
Also, LOVED this ending to the article.
A short time before the incident, Brown and his pals had taken a selfie inside the late-night pizza place with Moroccan-born performer French Montana, an ex-boyfriend of Khloe Kardashian.
Hell of a tombstone waiting your boy French Montanta, huh?
