The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

KAI Jones added some hardware to his growing European basketball résumé on Sunday, helping Anadolu Efes capture the 2026 VTB United League SuperCup with an 88-82 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban.

The Bahamian forward/centre finished the championship game with six points, six rebounds and one assist as Efes held off Lokomotiv in a closely contested final.

The victory also gave Efes a piece of VTB United League history. The Istanbul-based club became the first foreign team to win the SuperCup since the competition began. Before this year, the championship had been won exclusively by Russian clubs, with CSKA Moscow winning three times and Zenit Saint Petersburg twice. 

Mike James provided the biggest offensive contribution for Efes in the final, scoring 27 points, including a three pointer and foul with 14 seconds remaining that pushed the lead to six and effectively sealed the championship. He was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 19 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists over Efes’ three games. 

Jones entered the final after making an immediate impact in his first VTB SuperCup appearance. In Efes’ opening game against Zenit Saint Petersburg, he recorded 11 points and eight rebounds while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Efes won that game 100-74. 

His six-point performance in the final came as he continued to operate primarily around the basket. Jones has built his game in Europe around his athleticism, rebounding and finishing near the rim rather than perimeter shooting.That was particularly evident during the 2025-26 season.

In 36 EuroLeague games for Efes, Jones averaged 3.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.3 blocks in 15.5 minutes per game while shooting an extraordinary 92.1 per cent from the field. He was 58-for-63 on field goal attempts, with virtually all of those attempts coming on two point shots around the basket. 

Across his EuroLeague and Turkish Basketball Super League appearances last season, Jones finished 116-for-123 from the field, good for 94.3 per cent. He also shot 66.7 per cent from the free throw line. 

Jones, 25, was the 19th overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft after two seasons at the University of Texas. His first season with Efes marked his move into European basketball after stops in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. He also spent time in the NBA G-League.

Jones has spoken openly about the adjustment to European basketball and the growth he has experienced since making the move to Istanbul.

“I’m growing and improving every day,” Jones told Basketball Sphere earlier this year.

He also described playing in Europe as “an honour and a privilege” while discussing the opportunity to work on his game. 

In another interview ahead of the 2026-27 season, Jones emphasized the importance of consistency and preparation.

“I just understand the importance of making the most of every day. Every practice, shootaround, film session…” Jones said. “We make sure that we’re improving ourselves and holding each other accountable.” 

He also said his goal was to continue developing the details of his game and avoiding the same mistakes.

“I just want to continue not making the same mistakes again,” Jones said. “As I said before, I want to master the moment.” 

The SuperCup title gives Jones an early piece of silverware in his second season with Anadolu Efes. The club extended his contract through the 2027-28 season in February after his encouraging first campaign in Istanbul. 

Efes now turns its attention to the 2026-27 EuroLeague campaign, with the club scheduled to open against FC Barcelona on September 24 before hosting Real Madrid in its first home game on September 29.