NCAA Allows Former NBA Star To Play Golf At North Carolina University

Former NBA star JR Smith is now eligible to play golf at North Carolina A&T following approval from the NCAA.

The 35-year-old Smith is a 16-year NBA veteran who helped the Cleveland Cavaliers pull off a comeback in the NBA Finals five years ago. Now, he is pursuing a college education while beginning his collegiate golf career at the Greensboro college, according to WFMY.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime," said Smith. "Not many have had this opportunity ever. I just want to embrace it and take it as seriously as I can as far as a golfer. Well more as a student but ... as a golfer as well."

Earlier this month, Smith talked about his reasons for wanting to pursue a college education, citing fellow NBA champion Ray Allen as inspiration.

"We had a little golf trip in [the Dominican Republic] and he was talking about some of the things he was doing, about going back to school and challenging yourself for us athletes," he said. "I really took heed to it and decided to go back — and one of the best liberal studies programs is at A&T."

When Smith decided to go to school, he knew he wanted to attend an HBCU and focus more on his education than collegiate athletic career. However, playing golf is a bonus.

"Just being able to compete and challenge myself academically is where my heart is right now, and being able to play golf at the same is even better," he said. "Gives me the incentive to keep my grades up."

A&T senior Xavier Williams and his teammates hope the addition of Smith helps bring awareness to the school's golfing program.

"Having an all-star caliber player like JR Smith coming to our team definitely brings a lot of national attention," said Williams. "We all have talked about it and said, this is our opportunity to put A&T on the map. Not just for football but for golf as well."