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Knicks J.R. Smith Arrested On South Beach

MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — New York Knicks player J.R. Smith was arrested in Miami Beach late Thursday night.

Miami Beach police said Smith was arrested on a bench warrant for not having a valid driver's license.

Sgt. Bobby Hernandez said the 26-year-old was stopped Thursday night on Washington Avenue in South Beach. A routine search revealed the bench warrant and he was arrested.

Details were not immediately available on what led police to stop Smith about 8:30 p.m. but police have stepped up patrols on the beach as part of its strict enforcement and crowd control measures for Urban Beach weekend.

Hernandez said Smith was taken to the Miami-Dade County jail, where officials said he bonded out early Friday.

No attorney for was listed on jail records for Smith, whose legal name is Earl Joseph Smith.

Smith has played seven years in the NBA and spent part of last season in China before eventually signing with the Knicks.

For his career, Smith average 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He scored 12 points against the Miami Heat in the Knicks' final playoff game.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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