NBA – J.R. Smith, New York Knicks

Project Description

The Incident: Social Media Training | Social Media Policy – J.R. Smith, New York Knicks

J.R. Smith reacted with a threatening Tweet to Brandon Jennings questioning how J.R.’s brother, Chris Smith had a spot on the Knicks roster while Pooh Jeter and Bobby Brown (fellow Los Angeles natives with Jennings) were playing overseas. Smith posted a Tweet calling out Jennings indirectly, which he deleted shortly after. (1)

The Outcome:

The NBA fined the New York Knicks guard $25,000 for “directing hostile and inappropriate language” to Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings. (2) The league had disclosed it was looking into the incident, which occurred on Twitter. (3) The Knicks faced brand damage due to the Tweet. Mr. Smith suffered financial damage.

The SM2 Prescription:

SM² Policy with Procedures (preventative)
SM² eLearning, assessment and certification (preventative)
SM² Public Relations/Crisis Plan and Tactical Drills (preventative)
SM² Crisis Implementation (protective)

Sources: (1) SB Nation (2) Yahoo Sports (3) SB Nation