Random thoughts, part 1: Who would be the best hang in the NBA?

J.R. Smith might be the biggest no-brainer on this list.

While this one is painfully obvious, I was momentarily hesitant to put J.R. Smith on this list. Not because he wouldn’t be a great hang, though—I think we can all agree that he would be. I was hesitant, however, because J.R. has a reputation for being the NBA’s pre-eminent “fun guy.” Though I am sure he has earned that moniker, I worry about three things on Smith’s end:

1. I have heard and seen so many great examples of Smith being a blast to the point where I have put him on a pedestal that is impossible to live up to.
2. Building a large family with his wife and enduring a long hiatus from the NBA has possibly slowed JR down.
3. J.R. Smith is possibly too much fun.

After he paraded through Cleveland for weeks on end following the Cavs’ championship victory in 2016, the myth of J.R. Smith spread like wildfire. At one point during that summer, I heard rumors from those close to the Cavs that Smith had not put on a shirt for three consecutive weeks. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.

He refused to don a shirt during Cleveland’s immediate Vegas trip after securing the 2016 title. Once the Cavs’ team plane arrived back in Cleveland following that trip, J.R. remained topless. The next time anybody saw Smith was at the Cavs’ championship parade days later, and—save for the tattoos on his back—the only things Smith wore were his Cavs shorts, an Adidas NBA Finals hat, and a pair of Vans. Weeks later—yeah, weeks!—Smith was seen at an Indians game with multiple Cavs players in tow, still shirtless.

All of this led me to believe that J.R. Smith would unquestionably be a terrific hang. Yet, with that being the case, an overwhelming feeling began to eat at me. Is it possible that a three-week stretch in the summer of 2016 has overrated his reputation for being an unbelievable drinking partner? It is entirely possible, but I refuse to buy that notion.

During his time in New York, J.R. probably would have been too much to handle. A bar would have led to a nightclub, a nightclub would have led to a strip club, and a strip club would have led to, well, who knows. You probably would have ended up in some unwelcomed altercation and woken up the next morning with bruises and a brutal headache. With the old J.R., anything (or, shall I say, Henny-thing) was possible.

But now? It’s actually somewhat hard to imagine Smith being the Knicks-version of himself. In J.R.’s case, you can completely throw most of my previously mentioned factors out the window.

His age does not matter. His marriage and parenthood status is more beneficial than detrimental. His checkered background would fascinate me more than it would worry me. His energy is electrifying. His persona—though strangely looked down upon—is one of the brightest and funniest in the league. And, most importantly, he seems like one of the most genuine guys in the entire NBA.

If anything within this piece of writing is true, it is that you cannot make a credible “best hang in the NBA” list without J.R. Smith.