In the just-concluded NBA Finals, the Cavaliers lost to the Warriors by an aggregate score of 1:4, but the performance of Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith was impressive. Fans familiar with JR know that he played a season in China, leaving behind some stories that make people cry and laugh.
In the 2011-2012 season, coinciding with the NBA labor dispute, many big-name players played in the CBA, and JR Smith was one of them. At that time, the Zhejiang Chouzhou men's basketball team, which spent a huge amount of money to introduce JR, originally wanted to be a blockbuster, who knew that spending money to buy a big trouble, the quarrel between the club and JR was extremely unpleasant, and the club boss was even humiliated by JR.
On November 20, 2011, Zhejiang Chouzhou played away to Guangdong Hongyuan, and JR injured his right knee during the match. At night, he refused to go to the hospital in Dongguan, and the club had no choice but to persuade JR to return to Yiwu for treatment, and JR agreed. However, the next morning, JR flew to Beijing without greeting the club and the coaching staff, and vented his emotions in Weibo, "I will not give my all for people who are unwilling to give my all." You say I'm selfish, but that's what I think. ”
Zhao Bing, then chairman of Zhejiang Chouzhou Basketball Club, gave JR an ultimatum on Weibo: after the club's research, it warned JR of his insistence on going to Beijing without the consent of the club, hoping that he would return to the team as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be at his own risk. Unexpectedly, Zhao Bing's warning not only did not have a deterrent effect, but was humiliated by JR, "My primary purpose now is to make myself recover as soon as possible, if you can't even understand this, I think you may have to choose another career." My departure is not an escape, I want to win the game, but the team that wins the game has to stay healthy. ”
When JR first reported to Zhejiang, the club bought him an Apple computer in order to cooperate with the media interview. Before the start of the league, the club chartered a whole floor of a super five-star hotel in Yiwu for JR. When playing in the pre-season, JR did not want to live with the team, and the club arranged for him the best hotel in Huizhou. At the beginning of the league, JR still asked to live in a five-star hotel, not to live with the team, and the club also satisfied him. In addition, as long as the JR is on the plane, it is always first class.
In the 2011-2012 season, JR's salary in Zhejiang was $2.65 million, which is the CBA's first highest salary so far. Unfortunately, due to JR's poor communication with the club and lack of training, Zhejiang Chouzhou failed to make the playoffs. In the 2010-2011 season, Zhejiang Chouzhou achieved 5th place.