Smith walked off the course tied for 79th after eight bogeys, two double bogeys, two birdies and six pars. As for Smiths college golf career, that remains to be seen. 9M; Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith has transitioned from the court to the golf course and classroom effortlessly. In his second round of the day, it followed a similar pattern: a good start with a difficult finish. J.R. Smith's hard work this year has paid off. Smith went straight from St. Benedicts Preparatory School in New Jersey to the NBA, where he was drafted 18th overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2004. About. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies warms up with his fellow, Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies warms up with his fellow competitors before the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. Here are your options. Smith is not the only one celebrating his accomplishments, as his former teammate LeBron James has chimed in as well. Smith earned a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a degree in liberal studies and competing on the golf team. Note: This profile will be updated as more information becomes available. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard played professionally for a host of NBA teams, winning NBA titles with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Thats right. Alamance Country Club is the venue for the week, a par 71 layout measuring 6,867 yards. In college golf, teams drop one of five scores, and his was the lowest both times. 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. 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. In January, Smith signed with Excel Sports Management for NIL representation. RELATED: J.R. Smith finally played Pine Valleyand then bought the entire pro shop. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. North Carolina A&T's JR Smith waits to putt on the 17th green during the first round of the Phoenix Invitational golf tournament in Burlington, N.C., Monday, As for his golf game, Smith said hes been playing for about 12 years. At the time, Smith's agent, Lance Young, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that there was high interest from golf apparel and equipment manufacturers in sponsoring the enormously popular (6.2 million followers on Instagram alone) college athlete. Smith walked off the course tied for 79th after eight bogeys, two double bogeys, two birdies and six pars. Its not even a week yet but as I get into it, I keep getting eager to learn more, and join study groups and try to understand and try to really embrace the lifestyle, Smith said. ", YESSIR @TheRealJRSmith!! Smith, 35, played 16 seasons in the NBA but is hoping to play golf in college. RELATED: J.R. Smith says he watches Golf Channel instead of the NBA Playoffs. He died aged 67. We also know that his game is no joke. The 2-time NBA Champion is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T mens golf team.. And while it perhaps did not lead to the scorecard Smith wanted on Monday, it's fantastic that somebody so accomplished on one discipline is entering the arena in another one. Its not even a week yet but as I get into it I keep getting eager to learn more, and join study groups and try to understand and try to really embrace the lifestyle, he said. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome), J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies reacts as his putt slides past the hole, J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies reacts as his putt slides past the hole during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. Love bro https://t.co/gqwOLnlcdw. 18. Love bro https://t.co/gqwOLnlcdw. Smith was awarded a tee time after qualifying in practice by one stroke. 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. Smith is excelling both athletically and academically at North Carolina A&T J.R. Smith's hard work this year has paid off. The former NBA player turned college student athlete was named North Carolina A&T's Academic Athlete of the Year. Smith earned a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a degree in liberal studies and competing on the golf team. . For now, Smith shot 83-78 and beat a pair of La Salle golfers as North Carolina A&T sits in 11th place (of 13 teams) after Day 1 of competition. Love you kid! JR Smith had a big, bright personality during his 16-year NBA career. He even won two championships in the twilight of his time on the court, first with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and then four years later in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time, Smiths agent, Lance Young, told ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski that there was high interest from golf apparel and equipment manufacturers in sponsoring the enormously popular (6.2 million followers on Instagram alone) college athlete. Ben Jared. [It was] a learning experience, he said. Smith actually beat a handful of competitors in the first round and headed right back out there for a second 18-hole round Monday. J.R. Smith is a two-time NBA champion and a former Sixth Man of the year who earned millions of dollars over the course of his 16 seasons. The two-time NBA champion finished 81st out of 84 in his first competitive college tournament back in October, adding insult to injury when he stepped on a hornets nest midway through his second round. Weve known for a long time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith is an avid golfer. The two-time @NBA champ is enrolling @NCATAggies with his sights set on the golf team. Obviously different environments from playing in front of 20,000 people to playing in a college golf gallery. section: | slug: j-r-smith-shoots-83-78-in-college-debut-for-north-carolina-a-t-at-elon-phoenix-invitational | sport: golf | route: article_single.us | Here's what you need to know from the last week in college golf. The two-time NBA champion is returning to the state where he was originally slated to play college basketball. BURLINGTON, N.C. J.R. Smith couldnt help but feel anxious. 9 to within a foot from the pin. Since Smith wanted to play on the golf team, and not the basketball team, the green light was given. He is primarily pursuing a degree in liberal studies his classes started on August 18 but he is now playing golf for one of the nations top historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Best irons for 2023 for every handicap and playing style, Three sleeper picks to win the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, including Tommy Fleetwood at 80/1, Best golf drivers for 2023 for every handicap and playing style, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Start the Golf Season off right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). Had a pair of birdies, a great chip and stuck his approach on No. Smith clearly loves it enough to dive in regardless and risk, failure or frustration for the opportunity at success in a world where it is so fleeting. 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. 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. 10:25 am ET, Smith has documented his time in college and has been open about studying, getting his schoolwork done, When Smith first earned his 4.0, he celebrated on Twitter, saying, 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 named Academic Athlete of the Year, 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 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. On Dec. 14, Smith took to social media to share he had achieved his goal of earning a 4.0 grade-point average. The 16-year NBA veteran who skipped college basketball, won two world championships and made millions is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T "I can't even describe the feeling," he said. Unfortunately, he only made one other birdie over his next 31 holes of play on the day (golfers played 36 on Monday at Alamance Country Club in Burlington, North Carolina). 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 | JR Smith will get a chance to shoot his shot. WebGet the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about guard JR Smith on ESPN. Had a pair of birdies, a great chip and stuck his approach on No. 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. J.R. Smith's hard work this year has paid off. The former NBA player turned college student athlete was named North Carolina A&T's Academic Athlete of the Year. Smith earned a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a degree in liberal studies and competing on the golf team. The 36-year-old former NBA star responded to the news with a smile emoji. Smith warms up with his fellow competitors before the Phoenix Invitational. 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. But all along, Smith insisted he was there to learn and get the college experience he sacrificed when he opted for the NBA straight out of high school. 6-keys: media/spln/golf/reg/free/stories, at pic.twitter.com/RDNJGhiRaw. 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. @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! Smith said thats exactly what he wants from his delayed college experience. Man sitting in bed doing a power point for my English class just thought I'd take a break and see what talk up to. 9 to within a foot from the pin. Still, it was a pretty decent start for somebody who, on this day a year ago, was busy winning Game 6 of the NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers -- his second of two titles in his nearly two decades in the NBA. So happy and proud of you my brother @TheRealJRSmith!!!! Perhaps it brought some pressure on the other two guys, but clearly not enough as Rabadan shot 65-66 to lead the event by four. (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. 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. "A lot of hard work went into that s---.". Regardless, the outcome for Smith is good, and his swing looked fantastic. How about during freshman year? Believe it or not, the following sentence is not a joke either: J.R. Smith is about to start his competitive collegiate golf career. One of the coolest non-tour golf stories of the year belongs to J.R. Smith. 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. Can you imagine being the fifth guy for George Mason or Radford and rolling up to somebody who was flying private with LeBron James 12 months ago and made $88.3 million over the course of his career? Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith has transitioned from the court to the golf course and classroom effortlessly. The most famous college golfer is not one of the best amateurs in the world. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Wednesday night's slate. Make fun of his liberal studies major all you want, but how many 4.0 semesters did you pull down? appreciated. The athlete known to hoops fans as JR Swish is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. Smith, a The third and final round will get underway at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. You would think a guy like J.R. is used to having eyes on him.". followed @TheRealJRSmith for the first five holes today in his first tournament as a member of the @NCATAGGIES Golf Team. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. WebBelow is a comprehensive draft profile for Anderson, including his scouting report, prospect ranking, pro comparison, combine results, college and high school accolades and overall NFL outlook. "Hopefully they're learning some things and I don't mess them up.". Smith went right to the NBA after high school, so he missed out on the college experience. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. With jr smith college golf stats January, Smith signed an NIL deal with Lululemon smile.! Before the Phoenix Invitational different environments from playing in a college golf career, that remains to seen. Honest about the struggles of balancing everything of earning a 4.0 GPA pursuing. 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