Kai Jones has recently agreed to a ten-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Jones has recently stated in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium that he still aspires to be the greatest player of all time.
"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
Jones stated according to Fadeaway World, "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."
Kai Jones believes he’s capable of winning MVP and DPOY in his prime
"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."
(Via @ShamsCharania ) pic.twitter.com/ASYQYAW3WD
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 20, 2024
Jones was picked up in the 2021 NBA Draft in the first round as the 19th overall pick. He was selected by the New York Knicks and was then traded to the Charlotte Hornets. However, his run with the club concluded after two years, as he publicly began criticizing his teammates and then asked to be traded.
With the Hornets, his average was 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds. Jones stands at 6’11’’ and with his agility, he might contribute some crucial plays to the 76ers club in Embiid’s absence. It is not yet known how much time he will be given to play on the team.
According to SI, Nick Nurse, the head coach of the 76ers, shared regarding Jones, "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."
He further mentioned, "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."
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently occupying the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, and for the season, they are 38-30. In the next game, they will headlock with the Phoenix Suns and after that, they will face the Los Angeles Lakers.
