pic.twitter.com/RDNJGhiRaw. One of the coolest non-tour golf stories of the year belongs to J.R. Smith. Until then, Smith will be busy juggling school work most of his courses are online currently and working on his golf game. I was nervous. By Joel Beall. J.R. Smith is becoming a college student and he's hoping to become a college athlete as well. Ex-NBAer turned college golfer JR Smith named North Carolina A&T's Academic Athlete of the Year, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, apparel brand Lululemon signed Smith to be its golf ambassador, Smith signed with Excel Sports Management for NIL representation, conversation with Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen as the catalyst for his decision, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Smith earned a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a degree in liberal studies and competing on the golf team. The 6-foot-6 guard was set to join tradition-rich North Carolina under Roy Williams in 2004, but instead jumped straight to the NBA and was a first-round draft pick. However, on the home stretch, things took a turn for the worse as he made six consecutive bogeys and then a double bogey on his 17th hole before finishing with another bogey to shoot a 10-over 81. The Aggies did not use either of Smith's scores toward their total. As being a shooter and with golf, it correlates to trying to hit different shots and your creativity, and that swing and try to have that flow and tempo.. (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. 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 | 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. As for Smiths college golf career, that remains to be seen. 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. He remained in the middle of the leaderboard through the front nine at one over par. Smith, 36, enrolled at North Plus, from the looks of the video below and a handful of tweets from those on-site, Smith really had it going to start the day before things got away from him. 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. 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). (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775722383 ORIG FILE ID: 1346025445, Fans and media follow J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies as he walks to, Fans and media follow J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies as he walks to the 13th hole during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. Love you kid! Four holes into the second round, he had made three pars and a birdie. Instead the buzz centered around the Elon Phoenix Invitational, an innocuous college golf tournament turned viral epicenter thanks to the NCAA golf debut of two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith. The thought of studying for some pointless accounting final as an English major still haunts my dreams, especially as an adult with adult aches, pains, and responsibilities. 6 min read. And Smith got off to a pretty solid start, making two birdies in the first five holes. Ben Jared. After making the team, the 36-year-old made his debut at the Elon Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club. Regardless, the outcome for Smith is good, and his swing looked fantastic. Somewhere out there, Jesus Shuttlesworth is beaming. Here are your options. (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. Its going to be fun, Smith said Monday in an online news conference. The grip on the club changes, and we get to see who you really are.. Smith actually beat a handful of competitors in the first round and headed right back out there for a second 18-hole round Monday. "I'm hoping it puts pressure on the two guys playing with him," said Watkins. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. When Smith first earned his 4.0, he celebrated on Twitter, saying, "I can't even describe the feeling, I ain't even gonna lie to you. Who needs 3s when you can score a 4.0? JR Smith made a 16-year NBA career out of embarrassing defenders, bucket after bucket. You can read about those travels here and catch his latest thoughts on the Drop Zone Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart | PodBean, GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, Heres how J.R. Smiths first college golf tournament played out. The athlete known to hoops fans as JR Swish is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. Perhaps best of all, however, is how much it clearly means to Smith. Age: 21; Year: Junior; Hometown: Hampton, Georgia The third and final round will get underway at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. 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. Smith hits his tee shot on the 9th hole during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club. As managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brands e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. We wouldnt pick apart your abilities based off one single round, so dont do that to him. That fact brought is humorous in light of this quote from A&T head coach Richard Watkins from before the tournament begin. 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. JR thought he was just short of his 4.0 goal this semester only to be surprised with the good news today @TheRealJRSmith pic.twitter.com/0mLyPSV9R6, In a video posted the same day, Smith was clearly emotional. If you havent been there, youre not a golfer. Favorite part of JR Smith's college debut is that he looks damn good doing it. How about during freshman year? 18. 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, 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. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. In the second round, we saw much of the same from the first round: a solid start followed by a leaky finish. if his first semester report card is any indication, he meant it. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, Two-time NBA champ J.R. Smith is officially taking his talents to college golf. The Spurs are showcasing the importance of Black culture in their community for the month of February. Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith has transitioned from the court to the golf course and classroom effortlessly. WebGet the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about guard JR Smith on ESPN. Start the Golf Season off right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). 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. He died aged 67. 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 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. @WFMY @ncatsuaggies pic.twitter.com/s7q6rpk1pa. The Aggies first golf match comes Sept. 24-25 at the Black College Golf Coaches Association Invitational in Newnan, Georgia. Its a lot different than playing a round with your buddies at the random public courses.. 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). Although hes had experience of playing in some of basketballs biggest moments in front of millions of people, Smith admitted he was nervous before teeing off. Smith was awarded a tee time after qualifying in practice by one stroke. North Carolina A&Ts first tournament of the fall season is the Black College Golf Association Invitational on Sept. 24-25 at in Newman, Ga. Well have to wait and see whether or not Smith makes his college golf debut then. Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith has transitioned from the court to the golf course and classroom effortlessly. While his score was dropped from the Aggies team total for the first round (the format is play five players, count your best four scores), Smith did beat one of his teammates in the first 18. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Wednesday night's slate. I dont know if the professor is prepared for that, and Im obviously not the average freshman. Because if Im going to give it a shot, thats the only way its going to work.. Discovery Company. After Smith was named Academic Athlete of the Year, James tweeted, "YESSIR @TheRealJRSmith!! Smith said thats exactly what he wants from his delayed college experience. The two-time @NBA champ is enrolling @NCATAggies with his sights set on the golf team. 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. Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! 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. Love bro -via Twitter @KingJames / April 26, 2022. A Warner Bros. JR Smith had a big, bright personality during his 16-year NBA career. 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. Proud of you Kid!!! 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 | 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 blames all parties involved, from Rodgers to Gutekunst to coach Matt LaFleur. Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! Make fun of his liberal studies major all you want, but how many 4.0 semesters did you pull down? Proud of you Kid!!! That included joining LeBron James in winning titles with Cleveland in 2016 and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Florida pandemic bubble in 2020 and celebrating each in memorable shirtless fashion. On Monday, the 36-year-old -- who was originally slated to play basketball at North Carolina before jumping from St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, New Jersey, to the NBA draft in 2004 -- was named the Aggies' Academic Athlete of the Year. Smith, a Elons Pedro Rabadan led after the first 18 holes with a 6-under 65. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies checks his course book during the Phoenix Invitational, J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies checks his course book during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. 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. Smith has documented his time in college and has been open about studying, getting his schoolwork doneand all the stresses that come with college work. In a tweet, James wrote, HOW AMAZING IS THIS MAN!!! USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Smith is a walk on and earned his position not only on the team, but in this weeks lineup. 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 Weve known for a long time that retired NBA star J.R. Smith is an avid golfer. Pulling up to the range at my first college tournament! 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. Now he is back in the classroom on his way to earning a degree. Had a pair of birdies, a great chip and stuck his approach on No. JR Smith officially begins college at North Carolina A&T, joins Smith made six consecutive bogeys, finally breaking that streak with a double bogey on the 3rd hole (his 17th) before finishing off with another bogey to shoot a 10-over 81. 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. 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. RELATED: J.R. Smith says he watches Golf Channel instead of the NBA Playoffs. Smith is not the only one celebrating his accomplishments, as his former teammate LeBron James has chimed in as well. 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. What do we make of the PGA Tours new Designated Events Model? 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. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), https://golfweek.usatoday.com/gallery/nba-jr-smith-college-golf-north-carolina-at/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, PGA Tour approves radical schedule changes, reducing fields in elevated events and ending cuts, Drivers used by PGA Tour pros ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. pic.twitter.com/WlCNZ8cCvk, followed @TheRealJRSmith for the first five holes today in his first tournament as a member of the @NCATAGGIES Golf Team. 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. Whatever you do, dont go rushing to conclusions about Smiths game. The most famous college golfer is not one of the best amateurs in the world. We also know that his game is no joke. The 18-year veteran flourished in a bench role last season with the Blazers, averaging 13.4 points in 24.5 minutes while shooting 40.9% from deep. 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. Obviously different environments from playing in front of 20,000 people to playing in a college golf gallery, Smith said. The athlete known to hoops fans as "JR Swish" is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. Smith warms up with his fellow competitors before the Phoenix Invitational. 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. You would think a guy like J.R. is used to having eyes on him.". 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. DAMN IM BEYOND PROUD OF MY BROTHER!. Since Smith wanted to play on the golf team, and not the basketball team, the green light was given. Smith, 35, played 16 seasons in the NBA but is hoping to play golf in college. The former NBA player turned college student athlete was named North Carolina A&T's Academic Athlete of the Year. He finished with a 7-over 78 to move up a few spots in the leaderboard. Two-time NBA Champion JR Smith has enrolled at North Carolina A&T and has joined the mens golf team. After retiring from basketball the35-year-old decided to enroll at North Carolina A&T and walk on as a freshman. 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. The Aggies finished 11th in the 13-team field, 57 shots off the pace set by tournament champion Elon. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images), J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies and Joey Morganti of the Temple Owls drive, J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies and Joey Morganti of the Temple Owls drive to the next hole during the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. followed @TheRealJRSmith for the first five holes today in his first tournament as a member of the @NCATAGGIES Golf Team. 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. 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. As for Smiths college golf career, that remains to be seen. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. All three players will return for repeat runs in L.A., including championships for Howard (2020) and Ariza (2009). The athlete known to hoops fans as JR Swish is the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. 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 | All Rights Reserved. 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 will have another chance to show who he really is on the course in Monday afternoons second round, which is now underway. After a standout high school basketball career, Smith initially planned to play college ball at the University of North Carolina. The two-time NBA champion is returning to the state where he was originally slated to play college basketball. Learning how to play in competition. He scored more than 12,000 regular-season points while playing for five NBA teams. 6:33 AM EDT, Tue October 12, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Now, in his second semester at the HBCU, the two-time NBA champion is already earning accolades in the classroom. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. ", YESSIR @TheRealJRSmith!! Smith had the sixth-best score out of six players on his team. The Jazz acquire cash considerations and a future second-round pick in the trade with the Thunder. 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. Oh man is right. Because if Im going to give it a shot, thats the only way its going to work.. Published Sixteen-year NBA veteran JR Smith is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T mens golf team. 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. Ex-NBAer turned college golfer JR Smith named North Carolina A&T's Academic College signing day for @TheRealJRSmith. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Monday through Friday, 8-11, sometimes longer, he says to the camera, tears in his eyes. Smith been tweeting all kinds of revelations since his first week on campus. So it all correlates the same for me.. "Play, win. Ex-NBA player JR Smith shot a 12-over-par 83 in Round 1 and then a 7-over 78 in Round 2 for North Carolina A&T at Elon's Phoenix Invitational. 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. JR Smith analyzes his yardage book during his first collegiate golf tournament Monday. Believe it or not, the following sentence is not a joke either: J.R. Smith is about to start his competitive collegiate golf career. Its going to be fun. 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 pic.twitter.com/RDNJGhiRaw. I just know how to compete with myself, Smith said. J.R. Smith's hard work this year has paid off. To the surprise of absolutely no one, that old Cardale Jones tweet made quite the comeback. Proud of you Kid!!! In January, Smith signed with Excel Sports Management for NIL representation.
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