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J.R. Smith challenged Michael Jordan to golf, said 'I'll whup your ass'

Mike Cassese / Reuters

J.R. Smith of the New York Knicks is an avid and passionate golfer, enough so that he's even opened up a learning center for child golfers.

Speaking with Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report in a detailed look at his passion for the links, Smith identified NBA legend Michael Jordan - along with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy - as his dream foursome.

Smith cops to having been in awe of Jordan during their previous meetings, but that didn't stop him from laying the challenge down in aggressive fashion:

I've talked to him a few times. I'm always so starstruck that I forget to ask him questions. The last thing we talked about was golf. I tell him, "I'll whup your ass." He doesn't want to play me, though. He plays a lot, like with Keegan Bradley.

Telling the hyper-competitive Jordan that you'd whup his ass at anything seems likely to get him to compete. 

While it hasn't worked for Smith yet, his self-declared standing as the league's third-best golfer (behind Stephen Curry and Ray Allen) should have him in the conversation if Jordan ever wants to flex his game on any current NBA players.

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