As the new school year began this week, the UNC men’s basketball program officially placed junior guard K.J. Smith on scholarship.

This news was announced Tuesday afternoon, just after Smith and the rest of the team made their returns to campus.

The son of former Tar Heel legend Kenny “The Jet” Smith–now a prominent NBA analyst on TNT–K.J Smith came to UNC as a walk-on transfer after spending his freshman season at Pacific.

Smith sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules, before earning limited playing time off the bench in blowout situations last season–averaging 1.8 points per game.

Head coach Roy Williams awarded Smith his scholarship during a team meeting.

 

 

Photo via Todd Melet