Former NBA guard JR Smith is probably making the most of his time as a collegiate athlete. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Smith, who is a first-year golfer at North Carolina A&T, has signed an agreement with Excel Sports for NIL representation.
Smith, 36, recently began his second semester at the school and is looking for endorsement opportunities under the NCAA’s new name, image and parable parameters. Smith’s agent, Lance Young, told ESPN there was significant NIL interest in the former NBA star.
It’s not bad for a guy who earned more than $ 90 million during his NBA career.
It’s understandable that companies are trying to take advantage of Smith’s celebrity – he took the golf world by storm during his time at North Carolina A&T. Under the NCAA’s NIL rules, Smith may not promote his sponsors at NCAA-approved events, but he may appear in advertisements and make references to his affiliation on social media.
NIL agreements also may not include performance bonuses related to an athlete’s respective sport.
During Smith’s NBA career, the veteran guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. He won NBA titles with the Cavaliers in 2016 and the Lakers in 2020. On top of that, Smith won the Sixth Man of the Year award during the 2012-13 season with the Knicks.
Smith has not played in the NBA since qualifying for the Lakers in the 2019-20 season, but has never announced his retirement from the sport.
