J.R. Smith is officially a college graduate.
The former NBA star and two-time champion recently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts with a concentration in African American culture from North Carolina A&T State University, marking the completion of a personal goal he says began long before basketball fame.
Smith reflected on the milestone in an emotional Instagram post, sharing a video of himself preparing for graduation and writing a letter to his younger self.
“31 years from now, you’ll have played 16 years in the NBA, won 2 championships, but most importantly, be a college graduate,” Smith wrote. “Don’t let anybody make you believe you aren’t capable of more.”
In the message, Smith spoke candidly about losing his grandmother as a child, struggling academically, and being placed in special education after being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia.
“Being in special education isn’t a death sentence,” he wrote. “We all have different abilities, some athletic, some academic.”
The 40-year-old said the journey toward earning his degree was deeply personal and rooted in overcoming insecurities he carried since childhood.
Smith first enrolled at North Carolina A&T in 2021 after spending 16 seasons in the NBA with six different teams, winning championships alongside LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
According to Smith, former NBA sharpshooter Ray Allen helped inspire the decision to return to school after the two discussed education during a golf trip.
While pursuing his degree, Smith also joined the school’s golf team as a walk-on athlete. Former golf coach Richard Watkins later said Smith’s primary focus was always earning his diploma.
“He came to school to graduate,” Watkins said.
Smith spent years balancing coursework, tutoring sessions, travel, family life, and athletics while working through challenges related to reading, focus, and confidence in academic settings.
“I didn’t realize how the brain is actually a muscle and the more you work it out, the stronger it’s going to get,” Smith told ESPN.
Now, with his degree complete, Smith says he has no plans to stop learning. He told ESPN he hopes to continue his education and eventually pursue a leadership role in college athletics, specifically expressing interest in one day becoming athletic director at North Carolina A&T.
“I want to continuously get better at understanding and being a person of higher intellect,” Smith said.
Smith also said he hopes his story encourages athletes and others to confront insecurities and pursue growth outside of sports.
“I think that’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Stepping outside the box and doing something that you’re not good at.”
