NBA star charged with criminal mischief after allegedly breaking fan's cellphone
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith (5) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the first quarter in game three of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. (USA TODAY Sports)
NBA star J.R. Smith has reportedly turned himself in after being charged with criminal mischief for allegedly breaking a fan’s phone outside a popular New York City bar last month.
Police say the Cleveland Cavaliers guard was standing outside The Park, a rooftop bar in the Chelsea section, on July 29 around 2:45 a.m. when a 20-year-old fan began recording him. That’s when Smith allegedly grabbed the phone and threw it into a nearby construction zone, breaking the screen.
Smith turned himself in to the police on Friday and was released after getting a summons to appear in court at a later date.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alex Spiro, Smith’s attorney, told TMZ Sports that the accusations are “nonsense.”
“We aren’t responding to nonsense,” he told the outlet. “He was issued a ticket.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.