J.R. Smith grew up not so far away, in Freehold, NJ, but had never stepped foot on the post of West Point. Nor has he ever been in this sort of regimented environment.
Smith wasn’t offended by the suggestion he was out of place – the NBA’s perennial rules-breaker amid an environment suffocated by rules.
“Honestly, it is an honor,’’ Smith said Tuesday after Derek Fisher’s first Knicks training-camp practice at Army’s Christl Arena. “I have never really been around situations like this, the self-discipline, the mentality that you have to have to be in a group like this at West Point. Being on the outside looking in, it seems extremely difficult, so the hour or two hours that we are here on the court, that should be an easy cake walk.’’
Could Smith have been a cadet, with the dawn-hour inspections at the barracks?
“I definitely don’t think I could do it,’’ Smith said. “Wake up at 5 a.m., go to sleep at 6 p.m. I don’t think that works with my schedule. That is a different lifestyle.’’
Smith was astounded to see the armed patrols at the security gates. After all, it is a college.
“I made it through security,’’ Smith said. “I was like, ‘Hey, man, I come in peace, I don’t want no problems over here.’ Dude had his big AK-47. Yeah, OK, if you are good with me, I am good with you.’’
President Phil Jackson compared Smith to Dennis Rodman in an interview last week with The Post’s Steve Serby. No offense taken.
“Last time I checked Dennis Rodman got what, 3, 4 rings?’’ Smith said. “I’m not offended by that. It’s an honor. He’s a Hall of Famer. And to be put in the same words as a Hall of Famer is something special. Not offended at all. He worked hard and he tried to do his job at all points and all times.’’
Smith will do his exploring of the campus and interact with the cadets.
“I got a lot of questions,” Smith said. “I want to see how it is like. I want to see how the hell they are doing it. Because I don’t know if I can do it.”