JR Smith being recruited when he was playing in China: God rest his soul, Kobe Bryant texted me. He’s like, ‘Yo, man. Like, I need you. What’s up, man? I need an alpha. I need an alpha.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, shit.’ Kobe started texting me and I’m like, ‘Oh, sh*t I might go to the Lakers! So at the time I’m with Leon Rose and him. So Chris Paul, we all got the same joint, me, him, CP, everybody. So, CP started hitting me. He’s like, ‘Yo, bro, like you need to come to the Clippers, we need to figure this out.’ I’m like, ‘Sh*t.’ I didn’t even think the Knicks was the option. Then Carmelo Anthony called me and he was like, ‘How you doing over there in China? I see you do this, that. What you going what you got going on after this?’ I was like, ‘Yo, I think I’m about to go to the Clippers or the Lakes, man. I talked to CP and Kobe. He’s like, ‘”Damn, dog! You going to do me like that?!’ I was like, ‘What you mean?’” He’s like, ‘You ain’t coming to New York with me?’ And then I’m like, ‘All right, man. I’ll be there Monday.’ . (Laughs). That’s it. -via YouTube / May 9, 2025
