Anthony Gharib May 8, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

When two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith puts on his cap and gown Saturday to walk the graduation stage at North Carolina A&T, his steps will mark the end of a goal he has pursued for years -- to conquer a fear of education and earn his college degree. The moment also will spark the question nearly every college graduate hears: What's next?

For Smith, graduation signals another beginning. He told ESPN he is working on "stacking" degrees, with his sights set on earning a master's next.

"I want to continuously get better at understanding and being a person of higher intellect," Smith said.

He said his goal is to become athletic director at North Carolina A&T. The job has been held by Earl Hilton III for 15 years. The university announced in April that Hilton will step down this summer at the end of his contract.…