It was the summer of J.R. And it’s turning into the autumn of J.R. as well. The shooting, jawing, and smiling forward recently inked a four-year, $57 million deal to return to the NBA Champion Cavaliers, he got married, and he’s been living it up everywhere in Ohio – from his dog’s birthday party in Columbus, to attending a bunch of Browns and Indians games.
But the fun isn’t over for J.R. Smith. He’s got his own backpack now.
Smith partnered with Sprayground (which is also getting into the basketball game thanks to founder David Ben-David) to release a pack on Oct. 20 that kind of takes on the feel of his hometown of Newark in New Jersey. He’s donating 400 of them to local New York and New Jersey youth organizations.
“The backpack design has a lot to do with being different,” Smith said in an official release, “and I think that sends a strong message to the kids. No matter who you are, just be yourself. Don’t be afraid to be you.”
It’s a message that makes perfect sense coming from Smith. While his career has seen its share of ups and downs over the years, he found a home in Cleveland and finally settled down to become a productive, and important, member of a title team. The speech he gave after the Cavs won it all only stressed that further. Now he’s got a ring – and a backpack – to show for it.
