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From The Athletic:
J.R. Smith, a former NBA player and two-time champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers over his 16-year career, wants to take his talents to the links.
Now retired, Smith, 35, is going back to school, enrolling at North Carolina A&T State University in pursuit of a degree in liberal studies. Because he went straight to the NBA out of high school, Smith hopes he can work out his eligibility status with the NCAA so that he can play on the Aggies' men's golf team.
"It's a big deal for A&T. It's a big deal for him," Richard Watkins, who coaches both the men's and women's teams, told PGATour.com on Wednesday. "It's not very often that somebody in his position really has an opportunity to have a thought, a dream, an idea, and to be able to go ahead and move in that direction."
Smith, who began playing golf roughly 12 years ago, has participated in a number of pro-am golf tournaments over the years, including the one at the Wyndham Championship on Wednesday, where he was seen donning Aggie apparel. According to PGATour.com, Smith plays to a 5 handicap.
"Golf is one of those games that has you feeling really high and or can bring you down to your knees and humble you," Smith said. "And to have that feeling and knowing that all of the game's pretty much on my own hands and I don't have to worry about teammates to pass the ball and receiving passes and playing defense so, I can play my game and just have fun."
that last quote is so loaded that it almost satirizes itself, but thats legitimately awesome. what a fun way to be retired,and a 5 handicap is good. he may have already had the best coaching hes gonna get, but i hope he makes it WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE
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