J.R. Smith jumped straight to the NBA from high school in 2004.
In other words: The clock on his college eligibility – typically five years to play four – never started.
Former NBA standout JR Smith has enrolled at North Carolina A&T and intends to join the historically Black university’s men’s golf team if he gets cleared by the NCAA, the university confirmed on Wednesday.
Smith obviously played professional basketball. But athletes can generally play professionally in one sport then collegiately in another. The NCAA will want to check whether Smith, an avid golfer, dabbled in professional golf in any of his appearances.
The 35-year-old didn’t play in the NBA last season and played only sparingly for the Lakers the season prior. His NBA career is probably finished.
A real-life, golf-centric reboot of “Necessary Roughness” would certainly be an interesting next act.
