J. R. Smith is a former professional basketball player in the NBA who decided to go back to school once he fell out of favor in the sport.
According to J. R. Smith, it was Ray Allen who first convinced him to go back to school and pursue a degree. Allen would host invitational gold tournaments and at one of them, Smith noticed Allen working on his computer between rounds.
When asked what he was doing, Allen told Smith that he was getting his master’s degree and he talked Smith into pushing himself intellectually and making something of himself outside of basketball.
Despite not having the best of times in school growing up, especially since he suffered from a learning disability, Smith decided to go to college and met with someone from the NBPA to help him pick out the college that would work for him best.
Aggie Pride
Two defining factors led to Smith enrolling at the North Carolina A&T State University. Before having a specific choice in his mind, the one thing he was sure about was that he wanted to join an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities).
These institutions have been around since 1837, even prior to American Civil War as a place for African Americans to pursue their education because they weren’t allowed to visit Predominantly White Institutions or PWIs.
The second reason Smith picked A&T was when he learned about the golf program at the university. Golf was one of Smith’s favorite pastimes and following the apparent end of his playing career, he wanted to try his hand at something else.
C. J. Paul, Chris Paul’s brother, and Smith’s occasional golfing buddy put him in touch with Richard Watkins who was the coach of the A&T golf team. Watkins helped him get the permissions he need to actually play and then coached him and the rest of the team for that playing season.
The Institution was founded in 1891 and is part of the University of North Carolina System. The athletic teams of the University are nicknamed the “Aggies” and they compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
Also Read: Redefined: J.R. Smith review: Heartwarming lesson in perseverance and growth