Zvezda are wounded lions! Jones admits to Sportal: They're 0-2, and that's exactly why they are dangerous! /VIDEO/
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Kai Jones is still finding his feet in European basketball. The Bahamian big man possesses extraordinary athletic ability and provides a strong presence around the rim. However, by his own admission, adjusting to the intense atmosphere compared to the NBA and the different set of rules remains a work in progress. He looked back on his first appearance at the Belgrade Arena last season.
"It was great, really exciting. We didn't get the win, but I think we are a better, more experienced team now. We learned from what happened last year, so I believe we're ready to go out there and take the win," said Kai Jones.
At the end of practice, he played one-on-one against Mike James, who was knocking down contested shots over him. Jones explained the idea behind the matchup.
"He's great! I think it's great work for both of us. He works on shooting over tough defense, and I focus on guarding without fouling. So it's just about putting the work in," Kai Jones said.
He expanded on why it is so difficult to defend him.
"The thing with Mike is that he's fast, but he can also hit tough shots over taller defenders, so it's never easy. He was knocking them down pretty well even though I managed to block one shot, but yeah, I just try to contest and block his shot as cleanly as possible without fouling," Kai Jones noted.
As a key member of the Bahamas national team alongside NBA stars such as Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon, Jones is driven to help his country reach the FIBA World Cup.
"It was fantastic. I'm glad we managed to get those two wins during the window, and now our focus is on hopefully beating Argentina. I'm not sure if I'll be able to play that game because we have a matchup against Baskonia, but the Panama game will be massive for me, to go out there and get the win. We are very close to qualifying. I believe we can do it, and even if I'm not there against Argentina, hopefully we take that win, follow it up against Panama, and secure those two victories in February. That should put us in a great position to qualify for Qatar. The summer was great, we went 3-1. I wish we had won that Puerto Rico game, but it is what it is. Now we just have to make the most of the situation and win out to punch our ticket," Kai Jones explained.
He also touched upon the differences between the NBA and the EuroLeague.
"There are so many differences. The atmosphere, the style of basketball, there's no defensive three-second rule, so you can just 'camp' in the paint for as long as you want. And the court... the spacing is completely different. So there's plenty of adjustments, but I love European basketball. I enjoy playing in two competitions, the Turkish League and the EuroLeague. You travel everywhere, visit different countries, experience new cultures, and my teammates here are awesome, so I'm really enjoying it," Kai Jones said.
With Zvezda currently sitting at 0-2, Jones believes that makes them an even more dangerous opponent.
"You always have to come out with a sense of urgency in every game, but especially against a team that's 0-2, because you know the pressure is on them and they'll come out extremely locked in. That's why we have to match their focus and take the victory, because every EuroLeague game is crucial. Everything is on the line, and we have to go out there tomorrow and take care of business," concluded Kai Jones.
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