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GREENSBORO, NC (SNN-TV) – J.R. Smith is finally getting the college-athlete experience he missed out on nearly two decades ago.

The 16-year NBA veteran who skipped college basketball, won two world championships and made millions is now a freshman walk-on for the North Carolina A&T men’s golf team after the NCAA cleared him to play.

Smith said he’s been playing for about 12 years. As he took the game more seriously, he frequented driving ranges and worked to improve his swing on his own, never hiring a coach while picking up occasional tips from watching Golf Channel.