It isn’t unusual for retailers to give athletes and celebrities stuff, with a promise to be paid later. The retailers look at it as free advertising.
If JR Smith wears his Jesus Piece to the club, all the broke guys, who want to look like JR Smith, will spend their rent money on buying the same chain.
Unfortunately for the retailers, sometimes the celeb never pays and they are forced to take legal action. We have seen it with Dez Bryant and most recently DeJuan Blair of the Spurs.
The latest athlete to not pay his bill is Knicks JR Smith.
A jewelry company called Lemmerman’s sued Smith, claiming he ordered a bunch of bling back in 2010 — including a diamond chain, two Black Jesus pendants and some earrings –– totaling $25,500 … but never paid.
We’re told one Jesus pendant and chain cost roughly $15,000 alone.
Lemmerman’s sued for $48,101 — which includes the jewelry bill plus interest and attorney’s fees — but Smith never responded to the suit … so a judge ruled in Lemmerman’s favor.
You never know if the athlete is broke or just doesn’t want to pay, but either way it is a bad look. What would Jesus do?