The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE 2021 NBA Draft process will take another step toward pre COVID-19 normalisation as Kai Jones is set to become the third Bahamian within the last five years to make his transition to the league.

After taking a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, the NBA announced the return of the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2021, which will take place August 8-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Earlier this year the league also announced a return to an in-person format for its 2021 Draft Combine.

The 16th annual MGM Resorts NBA Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams playing five games apiece during the 10-day, 75-game event. After every team plays four games, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the Championship Game on August 17.

The 2021 NBA Draft Combine is scheduled to take place in person June 21-27 at Wintrust Arena and Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois

The combine will include “team interview sessions, five-on-five games, shooting drills, measurements, strength and agility testing, halfcourt drills and medicals.”

The NBA Draft is scheduled for July 29 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and televised nationally by ESPN.

Jones, the former Texas Longhorn declared for the Draft following his team’s elimination from the NCAA tournament and recently signed with Klutch Sports Group ahead of the Draft.

In his sophomore season, the 6’11” Jones averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He shot 57 percent from the field and 39 percent from three point range. His standout season was recognised by the Big 12. He was named the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year and became the first Texas Longhorns player in programme history to earn the award.

Jones was tied for second on the team in blocks (19), tied for third in rebounding (4.8 rebounds per game), fourth in steals (22), and sixth in scoring (8.5 points per game) while averaging 22.7 minutes per game. He has hit 56.5-percent from the field (70-124), including a 36.7-percent mark (11-30) from three-point range, and has reached double figures in scoring 10 times in his first 23 games.

Throughout the season Jones has been projected as a highly coveted prospect for the 2021 NBA Draft by several mainstream American publications.

For the projected class of 2021 rankings, ESPN lists Jones at No.16, Sports Illustrated at No.22, Yahoo! Sports at No.23 and NBAdraft.net has him at No.24.