The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WHILE Team Bahamas is in the midst of competition in swimming and athletics at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Kai Jones became the second Bahamian NBA player to lend his voice to the growing sentiment that Bahamas basketball could join the other disciplines at the Paris 2024 Games.

Jones, who is set to become the third active Bahamian player in the NBA when he hears his named called at the NBA Draft on July 29, touted The Bahamas’ potential with his addition to the cornerstones of Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield and Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton.

“It’ll be in 2024, by that time I’ll be 23, a grown man, I’m going to be a problem. By that time Ayton is going to get better, Buddy is going to get better so I think we will be an issue for real and hopefully, Klay [Thompson] is going to be able to play,” Jones told reporters in his Pre-Draft day we are going to have a solid team man we are going to have more than enough to qualify and even medal at the Olympics for sure.”

Jones said the enthusiasm behind the national team programme has grown in recent years with success at the international level. Both Hield and Ayton have participated at the national team level, but have yet to do so simultaneously.

In 2018, Hield wore the national jersey in two games as part of the first round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers 2019 where he averaged 20 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. In 2016, Ayton donned the national team uniform at the Centrobasket Championships where he averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game.

“It’s been awesome seeing the enthusiasm grow, seeing the fan base grow, people are starting to pay more attention to the NBA and to the players,” Jones said, “You can tell it’s really inspiring to the kids back home so it’s been awesome because it was inspiring to me.”

Hield recently appeared on Yahoo Sports’ Posted Up Podcast with Chris Haynes and discussed the current window of opportunity the country has with elite talent at the pro and collegiate levels.

“With our generation, it started off with me then Deandre [Ayton] got drafted, now we have Kai Jones coming up, guys like Sammy Hunter at Ole Miss, guys are getting the opportunity they just have to put the work in. You have me, Deandre, Kai, Klay [Thompson] is half Bahamian, Eric Gordon is half Bahamian, so hopefully, one of these years - and I know Klay and Eric are locked into team USA - and I know Deandre has been busy, it’s been bad timing, but hopefully, we can make a run at the Olympics one of these years,” Hield said, “Coming from The Bahamas that would be great for our country. The goal is always to win a gold medal, but just for our country to get to the Olympics would be a great accomplishment.”

With draft night just days away and his official NBA dream on the brink of coming to fruition, Jones said he relishes his role as an inspiration to the younger group of Bahamian basketball players.

“In The Bahamas the support is huge, I feel it every day. Every time I post I’m in the gym I have Young Bahamian kids hit me up and ask me questions. I always try to reach out to them, it keeps me going too as a motivating factor because I just want to show them that with hard work, consistency and having a warrior’s spirit you can conquer anything and do anything that you want to do,” he said, “I understand that I am inspiring the people coming after me so it’s really huge for me having fans from The Bahamas because I love my people.”

The former Texas Longhorns first gained notoriety on the international scene when he participated at the 2017 Basketball Without Borders camp in Nassau.

“I had a kid on my team from Argentina. I had a kid on my team from Jamaica, a kid on my team from Canada, so it was really cool just to have that experience and gain some new perspective by talking to guys and girls from all over the world. And then basketball wise I was competing with some of the best players of my age from around the globe so it was a really fun time.”

Also present at the camp was Illinois centre Kofi Cockburn of Jamaica, Oregon guard Addison Patterson of Canada and TCU guard Francisco Farabello of Argentina.

“I grew a lot at that camp. Gained a lot of confidence because I felt like, especially after making (the) all-star team that gave me the confidence to know that I can do it - I can play with these guys,” Jones said, “What I would say one thing that stuck with me was a guy named Eugene Park he was a scout - and he works with the NBA right now, he invited me to camp a couple of years later, but he said to me ‘I had some of the highest upside of anybody there’ - just to hear that from him, it just motivated me to keep working. Now, I can do it for sure. I can make it to the NBA, it’s just a matter of when. So I just continue to put in work - that really stuck with me.”

The 6’11” Jones has added several pounds of muscle to his now 225 pound frame. In his sophomore season with the Longhorns, he averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He shot 57 percent from the field and 39 percent from three point range. His standout season was recognised by the Big 12 as he was named the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year and became the first Texas Longhorns player in programme history to earn the award.

The NBA Draft is scheduled for July 29 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and televised nationally by ESPN.

The NBA has invited Jones to the “Green Room” on Draft night, so anticipation is building to hear his name called early in the process.

“I’m really excited, I just can’t wait to be in the Green Room and love out my dream in New York. The whole family is going to be there,” Jones said, “It’s a huge blessing and I’m just really excited for it.”