Ex-NBA Star retires from basketball, returns to college, and joins the golf team? (7 GIFs)

Oct 15, 2021

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J.R. Smith joined the NBA straight out of high school back in 2004 at the age of 18 after deciding to forego a chance to play collegiately at UNC. This doesn’t always seem to work for every athlete, but Smith made the best of it during his 16-year career in the NBA by winning two NBA Championships and the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2013. During that time, he even made his way over to China to play ball during the NBA lockout in 2011 that cut their season short.