Kenny Smith's Son K.J. Announces Transfer from Pacific to UNC Basketball Team

K.J. Smith—the son of North Carolina Tar Heels great Kenny Smith—received his admission letter from his father's school Monday, clearing the way for him to become a walk-on with the basketball team.

Sherrell McMillan of Scout's Inside Carolina reported the news, noting K.J. left Pacific in May.

Smith must sit out the 2017-18 campaign because of transfer rules but discussed what it means to be a Tar Heel, per McMillan: "I always was a UNC fan growing up. It was always in the back of my mind that UNC was the final destination where I wanted to end up. It was always a dream to say 'I'm a Tar Heel.'"

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams was an assistant during Kenny Smith's tenure with the school.

The Tar Heels are coming off a national championship-winning season, and K.J. suggested the on-court success played a significant role in his decision to leave Pacific after just one season, per McMillan, "I wanted a championship-winning culture where everyone around you just wanted to win."

In his one season at Pacific, Smith averaged 3.2 points per game behind 21.6 percent shooting from three-point range. It will take much more than that to see the court at mighty North Carolina, but he gets the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps and live out a lifelong dream.