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J.R. Smith says he doesn’t drink Hennessy: ‘I hate that s—'

J.R. Smith

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 22: J.R. Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shakes hands with the fans during the Cleveland Cavaliers Victory Parade And Rally on June 22, 2016 in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBAE via Getty Images

J.R. Smith has had a wild career.

He went shirtless. He untied shoes. He gave up a basket while hugging an opposing reserve. He refused to speak with the NBA about a tattoo dispute, summing up his feelings with: “I don’t talk to the police.” He ran out the clock in a tied NBA Finals game. He ordered thousands of dollars of unwanted room service while in China. He offered the pipe. He tweeted a photo of a scantily clad woman. He threw soup. He accused the Cavaliers of tanking.

Want to present him as a colorful figure? It doesn’t require much imagination.

But apparently the legend of J.R. Smith includes a tall tale.

Bleacher Report (warning: profanity):

Smith:

I don’t even drink Henny, bro. I don’t. I put some Jack in there, though.
It’s not my s—, bro.
I don’t like the way it tastes, bro.
I hate that s—, for real.
Nah, I never drank it before, though. Even before that. The funny thing is, the picture that everybody talks about of me drinking Henny, it’s a champagne bottle. So, I don’t even know how that even came about.

This isn’t the first time Smith has clarified his Hennessy stance. Maybe this explanation will actually gain traction.

So, how did the story of Smith loving Hennessy take off in the first place? Smith offered a compelling theory on a podcast with Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye: