January 28, 2008

Hornets.com chatted with former Hornets guard J.R. Smith, now in his second season as a member of the Denver Nuggets:

Hornets.com: This is your first time actually coming back to New Orleans to face the Hornets. Are there any emotions that come with facing off against your old team and friends?
Smith: There are a lot of emotions. I love it here. This is my first home and it will always be. I just get to see a lot of old faces.

Hornets.com: You have developed a good friendship with Chris Paul over the years, what do you think of him and his progression as an NBA player?
Smith: Well not much has changed in him. He’s always been a go-to type of player. He’s always been great, it just took a while for people to notice it.

Hornets.com: You developed the J.R. Smith Foundation, which helps kids get accepted to your former high school in New Jersey, St. Benedict’s Prep. The foundation has also been helping victims of Hurricane Katrina. What are you doing to help and what made you want to do this?
Smith: I’m still giving a lot of scholarships to kids to get into various private schools. It gives them a chance to get a great education that they may not have been able to get. We are buying homes for people (in the New Orleans area) and I just want to do whatever I can.

Hornets.com: What impact has playing with Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson had on you on the court, as well as off the court?
Smith: On the court, it has helped out a lot. I mean, a lot of times teams double or triple-team those guys so I really get a chance to show what I can do. Off the court, they are just great guys to be around. They are trendsetters to guys like me.

Hornets.com: The Nuggets are one of the most exciting and dangerous teams in the NBA. What do you think you guys can accomplish closing out the year and heading into the playoffs?
Smith: I think we can do a lot. I just hope we keep up what we are doing for the rest of the year. Sky’s the limit if we can keep it up.