In June 2017, I sat down with Chris Smith—former New York Knick and younger brother to NBA champion J.R. Smith. At the time, J.R. was a centerpiece of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship window, but he was also a frequent target of a “wild card” media narrative. Today, in 2025—following J.R.’s successful transition to collegiate golf and a renewed public appreciation for his complexity—Chris’s “buttoned-up” defense of his brother’s image serves as a definitive case study in media literacy and athlete branding.
Looking back, Chris wasn’t just defending his brother; he was diagnosing the way the sports media ecosystem constructs a villain.
The Gravity of the Narrative: “They Will Take It and Run”
The core of our Scoop B Radio session was Chris’s frustration with how the media chooses to highlight certain moments while ignoring others. He argued that once a “label” is placed on a player, every subsequent action is filtered through that lens.
“If the media portrays you in one way, people will take it and run with it,” Chris Smith told me. “They don’t see the hard work, they don’t see the family man, they don’t see the guy who is in the gym at 6:00 AM. They see the one mistake or the one celebration and that becomes who you are.”
In 2025, this observation is more relevant than ever. We live in a “clip culture” where a 10-second video can define a career. Chris’s 2017 insight reminds us that for J.R., the “party boy” label was a shadow that took years of intentional living to outrun.
The “Henny” Myth vs. Reality
One of the most specific examples Chris and I touched on was the public’s obsession with J.R.’s off-court persona—specifically the memes regarding his lifestyle. Chris was adamant that the public’s perception was a funhouse mirror version of the truth.
“My brother is one of the most misunderstood people in the league. People think they know him because of a meme or a social media post, but they don’t know his heart or how much he cares about the game.”
Reflecting on this today, J.R. Smith’s post-NBA journey has completely validated Chris’s defense. From earning an Academic All-American honor as a golfer at North Carolina A&T to his vulnerability in interviews about his mental health, the “real” J.R. has finally eclipsed the media caricature. Chris saw this “heart” in 2017 when the rest of the world was still focused on the “shirtless” championship parade.
The Brotherhood as a Shield
Chris also spoke about the pressure of being “J.R.’s brother” and the loyalty required to navigate the NBA as a family unit. For the Smiths, the media wasn’t just an outside force; it was something they had to manage together.
“We’ve always been close. I’m always going to have his back because I know the truth. You have to tune out the noise and just focus on the work.”
In 2025, this “Smith Family” loyalty is legendary. Whether it was Chris’s own stint with the Knicks or J.R.’s late-career resurgence with the Lakers, the brothers maintained a buttoned-up front against the “noise.”
2025 Retrospective: The Narrative Arc
Today, the media portrayal of J.R. Smith has shifted from “enigma” to “inspiration.” Chris Smith’s 2017 session on Scoop B Radio was a precursor to this shift—a plea for the public to look past the “portrayal” and see the person.
Chris Smith’s 2017 session on Scoop B Radio was a reminder that in the NBA, you aren’t just playing against an opponent; you’re playing against a script. He taught us that the only way to beat a bad narrative is to outlive it with the truth.
