Cleveland Cavaliers star JR Smith is again embroiled in another off-the-court controversy.
Life has been relatively quiet for him in Ohio until reports claim he got into an altercation with a kid in New York.
Reports claim the 30-year old shooting guard choked a 19-year-old high school in a pizza restaurant for mocking his trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It did not take long for Smith to respond saying reports about the incident are not entirely right.
"First of all, things aren't being reported the right way," Smith told Chris Haynes' Cleveland.com "but the team and I have spoken. We had conversations with coach [David Blatt], [general manager David] Griff and some of the players. I just don't want to be a distraction to anybody else and I've just got to move forward."
The alleged chocking was exclusively reported by New York Daily News who said the boy, identified as Justin Brown, insulted Smith.
"The teen, Justin Brown, who told cops he lives in Harlem, was with pals who chided Smith for ignoring their photo request," the report reads.
"Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith reportedly choked a 19-year-old student outside an Artichoke Pizza in Chelsea in November."
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's attorney said his client is a sweet kid and that he does not deserve such attack from the basketball player.
"Using your physical dominance to inflict pain and instill fear into somebody who is clearly weaker than you is unacceptable in any context, but there is something sick about doing it to a kid asking you to take a picture with him," he said.
JR Smith has been pretty low-key with Cleveland Cavaliers ever since he joined the team. His captain and team superstar Lebron James commented on the incident and just said "you just want the best out of him (Smith)" adding his teammate is being "misunderstood."
