N.C. A&T State University Golf Team Includes Retired NBA Player
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that it’s too late to chase your dream. At the age of 36, J.R. Smith is finally starting college and even made it onto the golf team as a freshman walk-on.
If his name sounds familiar, it’s because J.R. Smith already had another sports career as a professional basketball player. The 6’6″ guard played for five NBA teams, including the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Smith won championships with the Cavs and Lakers. But he never played in college.
According to Golf.com, J.R. Smith initially planned to play basketball for the Tar Heels at the University of North Carolina. However, after winning co-MVP honors with Dwight Howard at the 2004 McDonald’s All-American Game, Smith decided to skip college and head straight for the pros. The New Jersey native was drafted by New Orleans that same year.
Seventeen years later, J.R. Smith is getting back around to earning a college degree at N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro while also pursuing another sport at which he excels. J.R. is undoubtedly the only NCAA golfer to have scored 12,000 points in the NBA. I wonder if he’ll have time for intramural basketball.
The Aggies golf team will play in eight tournaments this fall. You can follow their progress HERE.
The NCAA has cleared J.R. Smith to play golf for the NC A&T Aggies 👏 pic.twitter.com/vLP8y4Lm35
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 24, 2021
