Former NBA player JR “Hennything Is Possible” Smith may soon be a student-athlete at an HBCU.
The 35-year-old two-time NBA champion is enrolling at North Carolina A&T State University, where he’s also hoping to join the school’s golf team.
Of course, social media had some jokes for Smith, who has been the subject of some of the most memorable sports memes over the years.
So why expect any different from the Twittersphere?
JR Smith's college golf teammates when they see him pick up a four-footer because he thought they were playing gimmes pic.twitter.com/qGLNVOlOvp
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) August 11, 2021
Smith, however, is not capping at all.
He made the announcement at the Wyndham Pro-Am Championship in North Carolina on Wednesday. Smith will be pursuing a degree in liberal studies, while awaiting the NCAA to sort out his eligibility.
Good for him, because all athletes have to find an outlet to satisfy self-fullfilment in retirement and nurture their mental health as they transition from star athlete to everyday person.
I’m sure he can deal with a little razzing.
The kid who’s getting his golf scholarship taken away so jr smith can play pic.twitter.com/thdZ9lzNCp
— jw (@jwmedia12) August 11, 2021
Aggies golf team head coach John Dell has this to say about the situation:
“It’s not very often that somebody in his position really has an opportunity to do this and to be able to move in that direction.” You know, he’s a former professional athlete, but it’s a set of circumstances where he didn’t go to college out of high school. So his eligibility clock never started.”
Welcoming former NBA Champion JR Smith to the Aggie Family! @TheRealJRSmith
JR Smith will be attending North Carolina A&T State University this fall to pursue a degree in Liberal Studies.
He is also awaiting NCAA eligibility confirmation to join the Aggie Golf Team. #𝐏𝐓𝐁 pic.twitter.com/4n2qc0Lddu
— NC A&T Men’s Basketball (@ncatmbb) August 12, 2021
Smith opted to turn pro out of high school. He attended St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey and was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in 2004. He was one of the last Prep to Pros players as teh NBA ended that practice startign witht he 2006 Draft.
After playing 16 years in the NBA, and earning an estimated $90.3M over his career, which spanned stints with the Hornets, Nuggets, Knicks, Cavaliers and Lakers (winning a championship with the latter two teams).
Smith is also an avid golfer and has been for years, after learning to play the game from the late great Hall of Famer Moses Malone more than a decade ago. He reportedly plays a 5 handicap and has even been playing practice rounds with members of the NC A&T team this summer as he awaits the NCAA Clearinghouse to make a decision on his eligibility.
Smith meanwhile is looking forward to the opportunity and he had this to say about it:
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in school, I’m excited about these new challenges, and ill have to really buckle down. I’ve got no free time now with raising kids and going to school so I’ll be busy.”
