The Charlotte Hornets was one of the more exciting, fast-paced end-to-end teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) a year ago, and with more youth and athleticism added to the roster in the offseason, expect much of the same in the 2021-2022 season.
Bahamian Kai Jones is right in the mix.
The Hornets’ 6’11” rookie forward, taken with the 19th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and immediately traded to the Hornets, is regarded as one of the more dynamic young players coming into the league this year. He had a number of highlight-reel dunks in the NBA’s Summer League, and has already expressed an interest in taking part in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest over its all-star weekend in February 2022.
The Hornets’ training camp got underway on Tuesday and they will play their first preseason game next Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Media Day was on Monday. They open their regular season on Wednesday, October 20, hosting the Indiana Pacers at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Hornets’ head coach James Borrego praised Jones’ energy, and said he will be a key piece of the puzzle this season, fitting in nicely with the team’s style of play. The Hornets is the fourth-youngest team in the league with an average age of 24.8, and it is reported that they will look to take advantage of their youth and athleticism by pushing the ball more in transition this year.
Jones’ youthful exuberance and excitement has been on full display since draft day, through the summer league and into training camp. At 20, the high-leaping forward is one of the youngest players on the Hornets’ roster.
Jones and fellow rookie James Bouknight have been getting their share of aggression and physical play during training camp this week.
“You gotta kill ‘em,” said Hornets veteran guard Terry Rozier to the Rookie Wire – a subsidiary of the USA Today dedicated to the promotion of NBA rookies. “You can’t take it easy… you teach all the little things but you get after them in practice and compete because they are going to appreciate that more than anything.”
Rozier said the veterans on the team have welcomed the rookies aboard, offered guidance and advice, and willingly answered questions. Rozier even organized private workouts for the team in Miami, Florida, recently.
Bouknight, the number 11 overall pick in the draft by the Hornets, was impressive in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada,
averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds in four games. Jones averaged 9.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in five games. A 16-rebound effort by Jones on August 14 against the Toronto Raptors was among the top efforts on the glass this summer. It was the fourth-most in a summer league game.
Jones and Bouknight are a big part of the future plans in Charlotte and are expected to experience significant playing time this season.
The Hornets is led by Rozier, 2021 Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, former all-star forward Gordon Hayward and the agile Miles Bridges. Ball had a sensational first year in the NBA, and seems ready for the extra responsibility as a team leader on the court this season.
In addition to Jones and Bouknight, the Hornets added some quality free agents in Kelly Oubre Jr., Ish Smith and Mason Plumlee, and is looking to end their five-year playoff drought. They struggled with a lack of depth last year, and had several key players, like Ball and Hayward, sidelined with injuries. They eventually fell to the Indiana Pacers in last year’s play-in tournament, ending their season abruptly.
Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, is the majority shares owner of the Hornets.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/hornets-coach-praises-jones-energy/
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