J.R. Smith Shares His Financial Regrets While Making Millions In The NBA

J.R. Smith, like everyone, has his fair share of regrets. But one of the biggest regrets the North Carolina A&T University student has was not putting the money he earned from the NBA to better use. 

Last year, the Aggie took time out of his busy schedule to visit the offices of I Am Athlete. During the pitstop, Smith shared how he regretted wasting money on designer clothes and jewelry.

“I could have fed my whole community 10 times over with the money I was just [paying in fines for being] late on the bus,” Smith said during the interview. 

“You know how many people you can change their lifestyle with $10 million in our hood?” Smith said on the podcast. “We’d rather go throw $60,000 in the strip club…than go feed 2,500 people in the hood.”

More recently, Smith released the docuseries Redefined: J.R. Smith on Prime Video, focusing on his life after the NBA. 

One of the ways Smith has taken control of his life is by continuing his education at North Carolina A&T University, where he also plays golf. 

“I mean, to be able to like to do it at an HBCU is everything because kids who look like me and grew up like me get to see me, a person of quote-unquote a large following who hasn’t always been in the good eye of the following, from the public eye anyway,” Smith said during an interview with Hypebeast. And for them to see me taking my education seriously, I think it only emphasizes more for them, and I can be the role model I want to be. And I think they perceive it well. So around campus and stuff is great, I can’t complain honestly. It’s a great group of people and it’s a great place. You know, from all the professors to the administration, everybody’s been really helpful in my journey.”