"What else am I gonna do with the ball other than dribble it out?" - J.R. Smith recalls 2018 NBA Finals Game 1 gaffe that turned into a meme
J.R. Smith had a solid career in the NBA, winning two rings and the Sixth Man of the Year in 2013. However, Smith's career will always be remembered for his blunder in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, wherein he forgot the score towards the end of the game.
In an appearance on the latest episode of the "I AM ATHLETE" podcast with Brandon Marshall and D.J. Williams, Smith finally opened up about the incident that has lived in infamy ever since. The two-time champion blasted the Cleveland Cavaliers for how they handled it.
"It was a island because none of the coaches said s**t. It was like nobody wanted to take responsibility for it, so you left me with it. You know what I’m saying? And it’s like, okay, cool. If that’s the way you want to play it, we can’t call ourselves a real team," Smith said.
J.R. Smith went on to further explain what happened by going play-by-play. Smith noted that the endgame situation wherein teams are tied was not new to him. He even mentioned that if he had taken the shot, Kevin Durant would have been there to block it.
"Now granted, this a tied ballgame. 'Oh why you ain’t shoot it?' I get the rebound. I got KD, who’s seven foot, stick his hand up, he’s 10 feet tall. I got another dude who’s my height right behind me. What else am I gonna do with the ball other than dribble it out?" Smith said.
The infamous play happened towards the end of regulation in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. With about five seconds left on the clock, the Golden State Warriors and Cavaliers were tied. George Hill missed a potential game-winning free throw, with Smith getting the offensive rebound.
However, Smith dribbled the ball out as time expired as he thought the Cavaliers had the lead. The Warriors ended up winning in overtime, wasting LeBron James' 51-point effort. Golden State went on to dominate the entire series and sweep Cleveland to win the NBA championship for the third time in four years.
Former NBA player J.R. Smith now plays for the North Carolina A&T Aggies golf team
J.R. Smith retired from basketball after winning his second NBA championship in 2020 with the LA Lakers. Smith, who was drafted out of high school in 2004, enrolled in North Carolina AT&T University to get a degree in liberal studies. He also joined the school's golf team, earning an NIL deal.
According to ESPN, Smith is the first former pro athlete to sign an NIL deal under the new NCAA rules. The 36-year-old freshman is expected to get deals from from video game companies and golfing equipment manufacturers. Not a bad deal for someone who forgot the score in a crucial NBA Finals game.
Welcome to the Excel family, @TheRealJRSmith!
The North Carolina A&T State University golfer has signed with Excel for NIL representation.
He also just happens to be a 2x NBA Champion 🏆🏆 #exceling https://t.co/MJRO30JY5q