Kids say the darndest things. J.R. Smith’s daughter Demi said something that falls into this category before Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
When asked what she thought about watching her dad prepare for the biggest game of his season (and perhaps career) Thursday night, she told ESPN “I’m just proud of him because he made the championship without getting kicked off the team.”
Now, to be fair, Smith has a history of being suspended during the playoffs. He was suspended for two games during last year’s playoff series against the Boston Celtics and also missed one game as a member of the New York Knicks against the Celtics in 2013 for hitting Jason Terry in the face.
When ESPN replayed Demi’s comment to her dad after the game, the Cavs’ forward doubled over laughing and said “That’s my daughter,” throwing his hands in the air and laughing all the harder.
“You know what,” Smith said, “that right there is maturity coming, honestly. That right there is why I sacrificed and do what I’m doing since I got to Cleveland, and everything I do is for her, honestly.”
Win or lose, it’s clear that Demi Smith is proud of her daddy. And in the end, that’s all that matters.