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Jan 22, 2026 10:51am PT
NBA Champ JR Smith Takes His Second Act to the Fairway With Oakley
By
Courtesy of Oakley
JR Smith built a career on winning at the highest level of professional basketball. Over 16 seasons in the NBA, he earned two championships — one with Cleveland in 2016 and another with Los Angeles in 2020. After stepping away from the NBA following his second title, Smith didn’t move on from competition. Instead, he enrolled at North Carolina A&T, returning to school at the age of 35 to pursue collegiate golf.
That unlikely second chapter now intersects with Oakley’s latest expansion in the sport. The brand has launched the Oakley Golf Fusion Collection, a head-to-toe capsule spanning eyewear, apparel, footwear, and accessories, positioning Oakley at the intersection of style and cultural relevance as golf continues to widen its audience.
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Smith, a longtime Oakley athlete, played a key role in shaping and testing the Fusion Collection, bringing a perspective informed by entering golf later in life and approaching the game outside its traditional pathways.
Smith, a longtime Oakley athlete, played a key role in shaping and testing the Fusion Collection, bringing a perspective informed by entering the sport later in life and approaching it outside golf’s conventional pathways.
“Golf gave me peace. It gave me structure. It gave me something new to learn every day,” said Smith. “I respect the game, but I also believe the game should make room for more kinds of people. The Fusion Collection is about confidence, identity, and being yourself on the course. Oakley has always been about disruption and originality – that’s what drew me into being part of this collection.”
While golf has historically been defined by strict etiquette and visual norms, Oakley’s approach with Fusion focuses on expansion rather than rejection of tradition. The collection is designed to support performance while acknowledging that modern golfers bring a wider range of backgrounds and personal style to the course.
From a business perspective, Fusion reinforces Oakley’s long-term investment in golf as both a performance category and a lifestyle opportunity. The launch reflects broader shifts in the sport, where participation and visibility continue to grow across younger and more diverse audiences.
The Oakley Golf Fusion Collection is available on oakley.com and in select stores.
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