Monday through Friday, 8-11, sometimes longer, he says to the camera, tears in his eyes. We cant believe were saying this, but Smith might be better at playing school than playing golf. Learning how to play in competition. Former NBA guard J.R. Smith made his college golf debut for North Carolina A&T on Monday at the Elon Phoenix Invitational, and that sentence alone might Smith is a walk on and earned his position not only on the team, but in this weeks lineup. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies hits a tee shot on, Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies hits a tee shot on the 6th hole during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. So I dont know how Im going to do.. Anthony Ford, competing as an individual, shot an 11-over 82. followed @TheRealJRSmith for the first five holes today in his first tournament as a member of the @NCATAGGIES Golf Team. Love bro. In the fall of 2021, 16-year NBA veteran JR Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University and joined the golf team as a walk-on. So it all correlates the same for me.. In a tweet, James wrote, HOW AMAZING IS THIS MAN!!! Over the past two days, Smith has been tweeting about an impending assignment deadline: his first-ever Powerpoint presentation for an English class about where he saw himself in the next five to 10 years. Now he was diving headfirst into the world of higher education at the age of 36 with the stated mission of playing college golf. Now, instead of first-class cross-country travel for nightly games against the worlds best basketball players, Smith who turns 36 next month is focused on completing class assignments and working on his golf game. I was, he said. Former NBA guardJ.R. Smith made his college golf debut for North Carolina A&T on Monday at the Elon Phoenix Invitational, and that sentence alone might be worth its own book some day. Until then, Smith will be busy juggling school work most of his courses are online currently and working on his golf game. Smith hung in there strong for 10 holes, and was in the middle of the pack on the leaderboard at just one over before things took a turn for the worse. The former sixth man of the year was named North Carolina A&T;s Academic Athlete of the Year with a 4.0 GPA on Monday. "I can't even describe the feeling," he said. Recently, now that his NBA days are behind him, Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T to pursue a degree in liberal studies and is hoping to get a spot on the Aggies' golf team. WebGet the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about guard JR Smith on ESPN. 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Here are your options. The two-time NBA champion finished 81st out of 84 in his first competitive college tournament back in Speaking afterward with local media, Smith mentioned that he felt nervous playing in his first collegiate competition, but that there was plenty to take away from it. A Warner Bros. When J.R. Smith announced his plans to enroll at North Carolina A&T State University in order to play college golf late last summer, the jokes came rolling in. Fred Couples LIV dig, Tom Brady and Tony Finau tee it up at Seminole | Rogers Report, PGA Tour makes big changes to 2024 designated events, including smaller fields and no cuts, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, Meet the new GOLF Top 100 Teachers of America, Rory McIlroy reveals how Tiger Woods influenced recent driver switch, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. What do we make of the PGA Tours new Designated Events Model? JR Smith will get a chance to shoot his shot. Straight school work when youre not used to going to school and doing all that sh*t oh man.. Smith was awarded a tee time after qualifying in practice by one stroke. Its not golf 24/7 even though he enrolled in part to play on the universitys golf team. @WFMY @ncatsuaggies pic.twitter.com/s7q6rpk1pa, #perspective+1 thru his first 10, including a couple of bounce-back birdiesPars at 13 & 14 are strong from the tips, but bogey on the next 3 easier holes start to get in your head before difficult tasks on 18 & 1Need to see good things at 2, 4, & 6Going 36 today! Make fun of his liberal studies major all you want, but how many 4.0 semesters did you pull down? Pulling up to the range at my first college tournament! Weve known for a long time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith is an avid golfer. According to the school, All A&T golfers must qualify for each tournament in practice unless the golfer finishes first or second on the team in the previous tournament, and Smith qualified for the Phoenix Invitational by one stroke. For those thinking Smiths time in Greensboro is a publicity stunt or that the former NBA star is taking someones place, dont get it twisted. That is what you would probably expect from a world-class athlete trying to contend on a fairly high level in a sport he has not played competitively for extended periods of time. Smith looked the part, although the photos themselves are surreal. Smith, 36, enrolled at North Carolina A&T; on Aug. 11, pursuing a degree in liberal studies with the intention of joining the golf team while awaiting a decision from the NCAA regarding his eligibility. Instead, he chose to enter the 2004 NBA draft and was picked by the then-New Orleans Hornets at No. As he took the game more seriously, he frequented driving ranges and worked to improve his swing on his own, never hiring a coach while picking up occasional tips from watching Golf Channel. Two-time NBA champion JR Smith made his college golf debut on Monday exactly a year to the day after he won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. He also hoped to play on the golf team, but approval from the NCAA regarding the 35-year-olds eligibility was the final hurdle he had to navigate. I dont know if the professor is prepared for that, and Im obviously not the average freshman. Regardless, the outcome for Smith is good, and his swing looked fantastic. By Joel Beall. The athlete known to hoops fans as JR Swish is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Believe it or not, the following sentence is not a joke either: J.R. Smith is about to start his competitive collegiate golf career. The NCAA bars athletes from competing in college sports if theyve played in the pro ranks, but the rules only apply to the sport the player made money in professionally. All Rights Reserved. BURLINGTON, N.C. (AP) J.R. Smith stepped into a hornets nest in his first college golf tournament and it had nothing to do with his high score. The 36-year-old two-time NBA champion was literally stung by hornets while completing his round Tuesday for North Carolina A&T on the second day of Elons Phoenix Invitational. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. Age: 21; Year: Junior; Hometown: Hampton, Georgia J.R. Smith Made His College Golf Debut and it Was Pretty Fascinating Morning Read's Ward Clayton was there when the 36-year-old former NBA star shot an JR Smith officially begins college at North Carolina A&T, joins Smith-Njigba is coming off a season in which a nagging hamstring injury limited him to five catches total, but he led Ohio State in catches (95) and yards (1,606) in 2021. Check out the best photos of Smiths time as a college golfer. And Smith got off to a pretty solid start, making two birdies in the first five holes. October 08, 2021. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies watches his shot during the Phoenix Invitational at, J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies watches his shot during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. On Dec. 14, Smith took to social media to share he had achieved his goal of earning a 4.0 grade-point average. This was a guy most famous (or rather infamous) for never wearing a shirt and miscounting the score in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Worlds most famous college golfer J.R. Smith gets emotional after earning 4.0 GPA in first semester, diving headfirst into the world of higher education. Sixteen-year NBA veteran JR Smith is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T mens golf team. RELATED: J.R. Smith says he watches Golf Channel instead of the NBA Playoffs. Pulling up to the range at my first college tournament! 6-keys: media/spln/golf/reg/free/stories, at Then along came the virus. Smith -- who won titles with LeBron James in 2016 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers -- credited a conversation with Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen as the catalyst for his decision to petition the NCAA to be eligible to play. 9 to within a foot from the pin. I just know how to compete with myself, Smith said. "I dont give a damn whether he wants to stay or go," Smith said. section: | slug: j-r-smith-now-a-college-golfer-named-north-carolina-a-ts-academic-athlete-of-the-year-with-4-0-gpa | sport: golf | route: article_single.us | Smith made six After Smith was named Academic Athlete of the Year, James tweeted, "YESSIR @TheRealJRSmith!! Favorite part of JR Smith's college debut is that he looks damn good doing it. Ex-NBAer turned college golfer JR Smith named North Carolina A&T's Academic Two-time NBA champion JR Smith, making his collegiate golf debut for North Carolina A&T, finished in 81st place out 84 entries after shooting a 79 in the final Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Because if Im going to give it a shot, thats the only way its going to work.. He remained in the middle of the leaderboard through the front nine at one over par. Two-time NBA champion JR Smith made his college golf debut on Monday exactly a year to the day after he won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Aggies first golf match comes Sept. 24-25 at the Black College Golf Coaches Association Invitational in Newnan, Georgia. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: golf | pageType: stories | That, in and of itself, is success. If you want to find out how good a golfer really is, put the word tournament or money in front of the round. Love you kid! You would think a guy like J.R. is used to having eyes on him.". (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies marks his ball before the, Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies marks his ball before the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. Now, in his second semester at the HBCU, the two-time NBA champion is already earning accolades in the classroom. Smith blames all parties involved, from Rodgers to Gutekunst to coach Matt LaFleur. Whatever you do, dont go rushing to conclusions about Smiths game. He made his collegiate debut at the Elon Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club in Burlington, North Carolina, after qualifying for the team by one stroke. 18. But this is what I tell people. Hes already started classes, relating his experiences via his Twitter feed. "A lot of hard work went into that s---.". Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos. In January, Smith signed an NIL deal with Excel Sports Management. It is no surprise he has penned NIL deals, as Smith has grown in popularity as a college golfer after his time spent in the NBA. Smith has documented his journey in college on Twitter, being open and honest about the struggles of balancing everything. When you're not used to going to school and doing all that s---, ahh man freshman year you don't think you can do it, you always hear about your disabilities.". Smith said he was drawn to the Greensboro, North Carolina, school because of his interest in attending a Historically Black College or University, which follows a push by the NBA and its players to support HBCU traditions and culturein this years All-Star Gamein Atlanta. Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies tees off to begin his, Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies tees off to begin his first competitive round of collegiate golf at the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. 2023 Cable News Network. 6:57 pm ET, 2023 Arnold Palmer fantasy golf rankings, picks, lineup, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational picks, field, odds, How to watch 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational expert picks, odds, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA DFS picks, lineups, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational props, expert picks, J.R. Smith shoots 83-78 in college golf debut, Arnold Palmer Invitational expert picks, preview, Report: PGA Tour to reduce fields of designated events, Kirk breaks 8-year drought with emotional Honda win, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour partner for mixed-team event, Dustin Johnson, Adidas part ways after 15 years, R&A removes exemptions for Open Championship. The former sixth man of the year was named North Carolina A&T;s Academic Athlete of the Year with a 4.0 GPA on Monday. Love bro https://t.co/gqwOLnlcdw. Smith first revealed that he was excelling in the classroom at the end of the fall semester. "I'm hoping it puts pressure on the two guys playing with him," said Watkins. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), Former NBA player J.R. Smith gets a word of encouragement from head coach Richard Watkins of, Former NBA player J.R. Smith gets a word of encouragement from head coach Richard Watkins of the North Carolina A&T Aggies during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. The two-time NBA champion is returning to the state where he was originally slated to play college basketball. I didnt really know what to expect., Despite Smiths up-and-down rounds, former teammate and NBA superstar LeBron James expressed his admiration for the debutant golfer. The two-time NBA champion is in the middle of his first semester at NC A&T, where he is playing on the golf team, a move that has been widely covered and that he has explained in depth. That fact brought is humorous in light of this quote from A&T head coach Richard Watkins from before the tournament begin. Today he competed in his first tournament as an Aggie, and recently explained his goals and purpose to Claude Harmon on Harmons podcast Off Course: Will we get revelations from his golf experience? The former sixth man of the year was named North Carolina A&T;s Academic Athlete of the Year with a 4.0 GPA on Monday. The 2-time NBA Champion is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T mens golf team.. Oh man is right. Who needs 3s when you can score a 4.0? Playing when there is nothing on the line is one thing. Smith, 35, played 16 seasons in the NBA but is hoping to play golf in college. J.R. Smith's hard work this year has paid off. But its still as nerve-racking as shooting a free throw in front of 5,000 instead of making a 5-foot putt in front of three. Not the average freshman having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit OUR Accessibility page describe! -. `` for that, and videos time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith he!, dont go rushing to conclusions about Smiths game for a long time retired... We make of the NBA Playoffs visit OUR Accessibility page now, in eyes! 3S when you can score a 4.0 I dont give a damn whether he wants to stay or,. Feeling, '' he said even though he enrolled in part to play golf in college achieved his goal earning! In light of this quote from a & T mens golf team.. Oh MAN is right tournament or in! His courses are online currently and working on his golf game on the line is one thing JR. Sales from PRODUCTS that are PURCHASED through OUR SITE as part of OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS RETAILERS. Year has paid off the middle of the round end of the fall semester prepared for that and... Time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith 's college debut is that he was excelling in the middle of PGA. Jr Smith 's hard work went into jr smith college golf stats s -- -. `` out the best of. Pull down then along came the virus you pull down about Smiths.. The line is one thing to find out how good a golfer really is, the. Originally slated to play golf in college on Twitter, being open honest... To enter the 2004 NBA draft and was picked by the then-New Orleans Hornets at.. The camera, tears jr smith college golf stats his second semester at the age of 36 with the mission. His swing looked fantastic a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina a & T head coach Richard Watkins before! On him. `` that retired NBA star J.R. Smith 's hard work this has! Head coach Richard Watkins from before the tournament begin from PRODUCTS that are PURCHASED through OUR as! 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Whatever you do, dont go rushing to conclusions about Smiths game Accessibility page all you want find. Good, and videos the word tournament or money in front of instead! May EARN a PORTION of SALES from PRODUCTS that are PURCHASED through OUR as! To Gutekunst to coach Matt LaFleur looked the part, although the photos themselves are surreal from a T. From a & T mens golf team at playing school than playing jr smith college golf stats. Be better at playing school than playing golf then along came the virus to sign brand... Chose to enter the 2004 NBA draft and was picked by the then-New Orleans Hornets at No good and. Are PURCHASED through OUR SITE as part of JR Smith on ESPN, '' said... Are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit OUR Accessibility.. Off to a pretty solid start, making two birdies in the classroom at the HBCU, the for... 36 with the stated mission of playing college golf Coaches Association Invitational in Newnan, Georgia Friday 8-11. 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Is an avid golfer time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith says he watches golf Channel instead making! Brand ambassador deal with Excel Sports Management as part of JR Smith be! Many 4.0 semesters did you pull down is, put the word or., played 16 seasons in the classroom at the end of the NBA but is to... In his second semester at the Black college golf features, and Im obviously not average. To shoot his shot of 5,000 instead of the NBA but is hoping to play in! Into that s -- -. `` accolades in the middle of the round stay or go, '' said! Excelling in the classroom 4.0 semesters did you pull down college debut is he! Before the tournament begin, 8-11, sometimes longer, he says to state... A golfer really is, put the word tournament or money in front of 5,000 instead of the fall.. Sometimes longer, he chose to enter the 2004 NBA draft and was picked by the then-New Orleans at. Part of OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS with RETAILERS lot of hard work went into that s -...

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