More than a year ago, two-time NBA champion JR Smith took a swing at the world of golf, joining North Carolina A&T’s golf team.
While building his reputation on course, Smith is also pursuing a liberal studies degree at the iconic HBCU as well as aiming to create more awareness for diversity in the sport. But in between his education and his new athletic career, the 16-year NBA veteran recently opened up about his opportunity to face NBA legend Michael Jordan in a round of golf.
While Smith felt as though he was living out a childhood dream during the interaction with the six-time NBA champion, he did not showcase his best performance.
“He smoked me,” Smith recently told Complex Sports. “The first round, we ended up even. In the second round, he smokes me by like three shots.”
And, in true MJ fashion, the match included trash talk. When Smith was asked if Jordan talked “s---?“ “The whole time,” Smith confirmed.
The 36-year-old also recalled making a bet with Jordan and the NBA icon taking a subtle “jab” at Smith’s NBA career.
“I doubled down on one of my bets,” Smith said. “I was like, five front, five back, and five overall. He was like, ‘Alright, cool cool cool.’ I said, ‘Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh, hundreds, not thousands. Hundreds.’ And he said, ’No no no no no, I know what you talkin about. I know what you meant.’ And then he threw this jab at me low key, and I was like, ‘Ooh, that’s a good one.’ He said, ‘You had a good career, it wasn’t a great one, you had a good one.’”
Smith enjoyed playing golf with his idol. However, he will likely want to put together a better performance in their next match.
