With an NBA career spanning over a decade, and 2 championships, you’d think JR Smith had it all sorted. Well, professionally, he had it all sorted for most of it. He might not have been the flashiest NBA superstar, but his Sixth Man of the Year award in season 2013 reflected his impact on the teams he played with. His personal life, on the other hand? A completely different story.

Most fans of the former NBA star would know about his marriage to Shirley Jewel Smith. The two, however, have parted ways for quite some time now. But, without the legal proceedings required to end a marriage. This makes JR’s present relationship status rather complicated.

A closer look at JR Smith’s complicated relationship status

JR Smith’s personal life seems straight out of a drama series. The former NBA star recently became a father for the fourth time, welcoming a baby boy with The Flash actress Candice Patton. While the news is undeniably heartwarming, it also stirred up quite the buzz—and for good reason.

Here’s where things get tricky. According to Page Six, the 2x NBA champ is still legally married to Shirley Jewel Smith, the mother of two of his daughters. On top of that, he has another child from a previous relationship. With this recent addition to his family, JR’s personal life looks pretty… messed up!

Patton, glowing with pride, shared the cheerful news on her Instagram on September 27. Her post included a video and adorable pictures of their baby’s tiny feet with each parent caressing their child. If you were paying close attention, JR Smith’s distinctive tattoos gave away his identity.

Her caption read, “Son in Virgo. Born at home. Heart now beats outside of my chest. In love forevermore.” While she didn’t disclose the exact birth date, fans speculated the baby arrived just last month from the date of the announcement post.

When Gossip of the City shared the news, reactions poured in. Comments under the post ranged from celebratory to shocked. The reason is the ex-NBA star’s earlier stand on his relationship status with Candice Patton. The rumors about the ex-NBA star dating Patton surfaced more than half a decade back. In December 2019, however, JR Smith fired back at accusations that he had an affair with Candice. He, however, admitted being separated from his wife Jewel for months.

The NBA star posted to Instagram, “IG Ain’t A Place For Relationships!! But God Told Me To Tell Y’all I’ve Been Separated For Months. He Doesn’t Understand Why His Child Failed To Mention That… #ThatsAll.”

Candice and JR had reportedly been dating for some time when the rumors first emerged. The relationship was a bit of a problem back then as well because of the ex-NBA star’s legally intact marriage.

Smith’s wife was among the first ones to bring the spotlight to his relationship

It was five years ago when Shirley decided to take matters into her own hands and address the swirling rumors about her husband’s alleged affair. But instead of a confrontational approach, she took to Instagram Live with a heartfelt and spiritual plea, capturing the attention of many.

“God is mad wild. There’s a lot going on … Help me, God,” she said, her words, echoing the pain and confusion many feel in heartbreaking moments. Jewel explained how she felt led by divine intervention to pray and post publicly. And pray she did — not just for her husband, but for Candice Patton, the woman alleged to be involved.

“My husband, he’s hurting and Candice, Lord Father God, she’s hurting,” Jewel said, naming the actress. “For her to go out here, Lord Father God, and seek a married man, Father God, I just pray that you give her grace and mercy through all of this. I lift her up.” It was a raw, human moment that showcased Jewel’s vulnerability and her effort to rise above anger.

At the time, JR Smith and Candice Patton neither confirmed nor denied the relationship. But the 2x NBA champ broke his silence on December 17, 2019, with an Instagram Story that read, “No weapon formed against me. IG ain’t a place for relationships!!”

However, the speculations started months before Jewel’s accusations when JR Smith and Patton were spotted together at a Halloween party in October 2019. A photo of them, shared by Riverdale star Vanessa Morgan, further fueled the chatter. Interestingly, despite the 2x NBA champ’s claims of separation from his wife, he and Jewel were seen celebrating their daughter’s birthday in January 2020. That same month, Shirley posted photos on Instagram that JR Smith liked, sparking hope for reconciliation.

But if there was any reunion, it was short-lived, as the signs of togetherness quickly faded. And now that the ex-NBA star has welcomed his fourth child with Patton, it’s clear the next step of the relationship for JR Smith only moves away from Shirley.