Earl Smith III, known as J. R. Smith (born September 9, 1985, in Freehold, New Jersey), is an American professional basketball player currently with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.

Before attending high school, Smith attended Millstone Middle School and graduated in 1999. Next he moved on to Steinert High School and McCorriston High School before transferring to Lakewood High School. He played high school basketball for the first time at Lakewood High School. He would later transfer to Saint Benedict's Preparatory School and play basketball there as well. He averaged over 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists during his career there. In the fall of 2003, Smith signed a letter of intent to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In April 2004, Smith decided to forgo college and make himself eligible for the NBA Draft. He was selected eighteenth overall in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets—one of nine players who were drafted that year straight out of high school. In his rookie season, he averaged 10.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.