It does not appear that Cleveland Cavaliers swingman J.R. Smith approves of Cailtyn Jenner — formerly known as Bruce Jenner — being named this year’s recipient of ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
On Wednesday, Smith reposted a photo on Instagram that referred to Jenner as a “science project.” He quickly deleted the post, but not before Business Insider captured a screenshot.
There has been no shortage of controversy surrounding Jenner and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. More than a few people feel that the award should have gone to someone else, and ESPN has already had to shoot down a rumor about a disabled Army veteran finishing in second place behind Jenner for the honor.
Smith, who is no stranger to creating a buzz with Instagram posts, should have known people would react negatively to that. And when your team is in the NBA Finals, it’s best to keep distractions to a minimum.
