J.R. Smith has expanded his family, welcoming a baby boy with “Flash” actress Candice Patton, years after their controversial relationship came to light. The former NBA star, who is still legally married to Shirley “Jewel” Smith, is now a father again, but the circumstances surrounding this new addition have stirred a lot of buzz.
On Friday, Candice Patton, 36, shared the news of her baby’s birth on Instagram, posting heartwarming photos of her newborn son’s tiny feet and a heavily tattooed individual—presumably J.R.—holding him. Though Patton did not explicitly name the father in her announcement, her post left little doubt about the connection.
“Son in Virgo. Born at home. Heart now beats outside of my chest. In love forevermore ??,” she captioned the post, opting not to disclose any details about the baby’s father in that moment.
The very next day, both Patton and J.R. Smith, 39, confirmed the news with a joint post on Instagram. The post featured a series of photos of the newborn, though his face was concealed by emojis. While the couple seemed eager to share their joy, the announcement caught fans by surprise—especially because J.R. is still legally married to his wife, Shirley.
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Fans took to social media and blog comment sections to express their shock. “That’s not his wife?!” one person commented. Another added, “Wow! Had a baby by the woman he cheated on his wife with Smfh.” Yet another follower recalled the history of the affair, writing, “Y’all remember when his wife called them out for having an affair??”
The affair, which became public nearly five years ago, first made headlines when Shirley, J.R.’s wife, addressed it on Instagram in a heartfelt and emotional prayer. Shirley and J.R. have been married since 2016 and share two daughters together, Dakota, 7, and Denver, 4. They each also have one child from previous relationships. In a video that went viral, Shirley asked for God’s intervention to heal both her husband and Patton, praying for forgiveness and guidance for both of them.
“God, I would like to lift my husband up and ask you … to please just cover him with your blood,” Shirley prayed in the video. “My husband, he’s hurting and Candice, Lord Father God, she’s hurting,” she continued. “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.”
In response to Shirley’s viral prayer, J.R. took to Instagram to defend himself, writing, “No weapon formed against me. IG ain’t a place for relationships!!” He later clarified that he and Shirley had been “separated for months” at the time.
The affair between J.R. and Candice Patton first came to light in October 2019, when a photo of the two at a Halloween party surfaced online. Since then, their relationship has been the subject of speculation and scrutiny, particularly given J.R.’s marriage to Shirley.
Despite the drama and public fallout, it appears that J.R. and Patton have moved forward with their relationship, welcoming their first child together. Meanwhile, Shirley, who has kept a relatively low profile since the affair was made public, has not yet commented on the news.
As J.R. and Candice embark on this new chapter together, the circumstances surrounding their relationship remain a reminder of the complexities of public and private lives intertwining.
The new baby has brought joy to the couple, but for fans and followers, the story still raises questions about love, loyalty, and moving forward after public heartbreak.
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