Kai Jones signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers after spending most of the season without a spot on an NBA roster. After signing with Philly, Jones sat down for an interview with Shams Charania where he revealed his continued aspirations to be the greatest of all time.
“I’m focusing on being the MVP of the NBA. That’s a long journey. That’s a lot of practices. But I think that I’m capable. I think that the best version of me is that: the MVP, DPOY, and being the greatest of all time. I think that I can do that.”
“I didn’t want to die.” – New Philadelphia 76ers C/F Kai Jones sits down with @Stadium: On coping with losses in his life, now receiving significant therapy, return to the NBA and more: pic.twitter.com/o0emOIIvG3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 18, 2024
Kai Jones was the 19th overall pick in the 2021 Draft. The Charlotte Hornets selected him as a high-potential big man who could anchor their team one day, but a complicated two-year tenure with the franchise ended this summer after Jones started openly dissing his teammates and requested a trade. He spent the entire season waiting for an NBA contract, finally receiving one for the 76ers with an injured Joel Embiid.
Jones averaged 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in his two-year stint with the Hornets. It’s unclear how much playing time he can expect as a member of the 76ers, but he is a strong and athletic big man who could provide some valuable minutes in Embiid’s absence.
Nick Nurse Evaluated Kai Jones’ Play So Far
The 76ers aren’t sure if Jones will provide anything worthwhile in the 10-day contract, with Nick Nurse openly saying that the time will be used to evaluate him.
“I think we just wanted to get him ten days down there. After those ten days, we’ll re-evaluate and take it from there.”
Nurse also gave his opinion on Jones’ overall game on the court, clearly admiring some of the athletic tools he possesses on the court.
“I went up [to Wilmington] last night and watched him. He did some good things. He’s got some size, he’s got some athleticism. I don’t know how many dunks he had last night, probably like five or six, and a couple of them were pretty important. Like, tip-back and rebound dunks. He seemed to play his role really well. He didn’t seem to try to do too much. He rebounds, he runs, he really screens, he moves it to the next action over and over again. For his first game, that wasn’t too bad.”
With the short time left in the season, Jones needs to make an impression in the locker room and on the front office if he hopes to return to the franchise next season.
Even with the overconfidence that prompted him to claim he would cook the likes of LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal in a one-on-one, Jones is keeping himself humble in his path back to the NBA.
He has had an incredibly tough time dealing with the stressors of NBA life and family upheaval, so we’ll hope the former lottery pick can start fulfilling his potential on the court, whether it’s with the 76ers or not.
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