Next up for Intentions annual OKC Thunder prospect profile series is Texas forward Kai Jones.
A 6’ll” big man who showcased substantial growth in his two seasons with the Texas Longhorns particularly in extending his shooting range.
The Bahamian is a prospect who not only is projected to be in the mix when Sam Presti selects the 16th and 18th OKC Thunder picks, he’s also a player who would fit the rebuilding timeline and into the positionless scheme.
OKC Thunder draft prospect profile for Kai Jones:
Specifics:
- Height: 6’11”
- Weight: 218 pounds
- Wingspan: 7’1
- Position: Forward
- Birthdate/Age: January 19, 2001, 20 years
- College: Texas, sophomore
- Stat line: 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.9 blocks
- Home Town: Nassau, Bahamas
Box Score Statistics:
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/16/2021.
Current Ranking:
- The Ringer: 16th
- NBA DraftNet: 12th
- ESPN: 20th
- CBS Sports: 24th
- NBA: 10th
- Bleacher Report: 9th
- FanSided The Step Back: 15th
With that let’s dive a little deeper into Kai Jones to determine his strengths and weaknesses.
Kai Jones strengths and weaknesses
Strengths:
Witness the speed and agility of Kai Jones as he streaks down the sidelines and it’s easy to see his track and field influences. The fundamentals of being involved in that sport translate to the hardwood and are highlighted via his speed, footwork, and rim rocking dunks.
With the ability to slide laterally it means Jones projects to be able to guard one through five although he’ll need to add muscle and weight to face up against the bigger centers in the NBA.
In addition to his speed, his vertical leap is solid and shows most prominently when he’s crashing the boards, attempting to block shots, or flushing lobs. He pulled down only 4.8 rebounds per game but 2.0 came on the offensive glass and he averaged just under a block (0.9) per game.
In his sophomore season, he improved as a perimeter shooter hitting 38.2 percent of his shots; up from 29.2 percent in his freshman year. Granted this was on just 1.3 attempts and his free throw efficiency could be a harbinger of concern (68.9 percent). However, his attempts and efficiency are experiencing growth each year which offers reason for optimism.
Jones moves well for a big man and in a rarity can create his own shot (although this skillset needs to be refined). He’s raw but the growth demonstrated in college hints he could experience substantial growth in passing, shooting, and ballhandling.
Weaknesses:
His athleticism and frame will afford him versatility but he’ll need to add strength to fend off bigger centers. Moreover, he has a tendency to get into foul trouble in those matchups so he’ll need to be careful in the pros as he’ll face more powerful bigs than he did in college.
The limited rebounds (4.8) and scoring (8.8) raise red flags given his athleticism and raw talent. Part of the answer may be the Longhorns played him with center Jericho Sims (7.2) and forward Greg Brown (6.2) who also crashed the glass taking some of his rebounding opportunities away.
Although his shooting improved from his freshman to sophomore season he’s still a reluctant shooter which time in the lab with daily reps should help alleviate.
Jones can soar above the rim but he needs to develop an arsenal of moves in the paint. Until he does plus adds muscle it may be wiser to play him at the four accompanied by a big man.
He has a high motor so if he commits to hitting the weight room and developing a few inside moves he’ll unlock the full potential of his game. Although he’s demonstrated decent ballhandling skills he needs work on catching the ball especially since his club will want to unleash him with lobs at the rim.
With only five years of exposure to the sport he trails his counterparts in terms of their natural learning curve. That can be partially offset with a commitment to spending substantial time in the film room to make up for the time he lost gaining experience and organic development.
Pro Comparison:
Analysts offer up Christian Wood, JaVale McGee, Jaxson Hayes, and Jaren Jackson Jr. as comparable talents for Jones to emulate.
With his track and field background, it meant Jones got a late start in the sport (15 years old) which explains some of the raw aspects witnessed in his play. That means he could trail some of his peers as he’s not just developing his skills but also his mind in terms of processing the game. Things his counterparts grew up doing and have an ingrained organic response.
A player not noted above but who offers at least some similarities to is Pascal Siakam who also began playing the sport late. If Jones commits like Siakam in his work ethic particularly in the offseason his drafting team could reap the rewards as he takes a substantial jump one season over the next.
OKC Thunder fit:
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Although he’s not listed as a projected pick on mock drafts Kai Jones would be a player Sam Presti could consider as a high-risk, high-reward selection. His athleticism and explosiveness are obvious at first glance but it’s the raw skills that the Thunder should consider.
There is ample work to be done both in terms of developing his fundamental skills and how he processes the game. On the other hand, since he’s only been playing five years there has been less time to develop bad habits. That means the Thunder could develop him with a laser focus to fitting him into their style and scheme.
Jones has a high motor, improved his shooting in a single season, has good defensive instincts, and shows the ability to create his own shot with natural ballhandling skills. All of those elements need to be developed but he fits the positionless scheme of OKC and has the potential to be a star if the Thunder are willing to invest the time with him.
Mock drafts project him to be selected in a range of 9th through 24th which means he could be available for OKC when they make their picks at 16th and 18th. While there are certainly more seasoned picks the Thunder can make Jones deserves a long hard look.