Bodycam Shows Officer Criticizing James Before Smith Arrest

Newly released body-camera footage shows a Royse City police officer criticizing LeBron James over the 2025 Luka Dončić trade shortly before officers arrested former NBA player J.R. Smith on an active warrant in September. The officer’s remarks reflect his personal opinion and do not establish James’s role in the trade. The stop took place on September 28 in Royse City, Texas, after an automated license plate reader alerted officers to a warrant, according to the reports. During the encounter, Smith discussed his basketball career and said he had won NBA championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. When Smith mentioned playing alongside James and Kyrie Irving, an officer referred to James as “He who shall not be named.” After Smith asked whether the officer was not a fan of James, the officer said James had taken Dončić from Dallas and that he remained angry about the trade. Another officer also expressed dissatisfaction with the deal. The footage captures their comments, but it offers no evidence that James influenced the Lakers’ decision to acquire Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025. Officers arrested Smith after confirming the warrant....