Kam Jones is largely still an unknown at the professional level as he enters his second NBA season and his first with the Milwaukee Bucks. While he has plenty of room to grow, the guard has his sights set on a pair of Bucks' rivals as the blueprint. On a past episode of the Club 520 Podcast, Jones said that Boston's Derrick White and Indiana's Andrew Nembhard are players he models his game after.
"In my interviews, I always gave comps like Derrick White. In my interviews, I was actually saying Nembhard. Kind of guys like that who can play the one and the two, do what you need, catch and shoot, can handle the ball, make the right play with the ball, and not turn it over. Those are two of my main guys."
White, Nembard are naturally winning players
Not everyone can be the next Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. The league needs more Derrick Whites and Andrew Nembhards. While they will not command the spotlight most nights, those are two high-end role players who have helped impact winning at the highest level. White won a championship in 2024, while Nembhard went to the NBA Finals a year ago.
Both players have made their money by being versatile, as Jones described. Need them to handle the ball? Done. Need them to play off the ball? Say no more. Need them to defend the best ball-handler on the other team? No sweat. They can play whatever role is asked of them, and that chameleon-like mindset is a recipe for success in today's NBA.
Jones' path to eventual mintues is clear
If Jones can develop into anything even closely resembling White or Nembhard, there will be minutes for him sooner or later. Ryan Rollins is a great example. He also joined the Milwaukee Bucks on a two-way contract, and his effort on both sides of the ball turned heads so much that he eventually booted veteran Delon Wright out of the rotation. Now, he's a franchise staple.
At the moment, he faces an uphill battle, given that Milwaukee's backcourt is filled to the brim as is, but he cannot let that deter him. Whether he starts the season in Milwaukee or Oshkosh as a player on the Wisconsin Herd, Jones must make the most of every second by justifying the comparisons to these two standout guards.
If he lives up to those lofty expectations, the Milwaukee Bucks will unquestionably have another hidden gem on their hands. Over the years, the Bucks have become one of the best teams in the business at securing talent on two-way deals and developing them into standard contract contributors, and Jones will have his shot to keep that tradition alive this coming season.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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