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Indianapolis Star
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'He's just kind of an offensive savant.' How Kam Jones' senior year set him up to provide Pacers PG depth
INDIANAPOLIS – Kam Jones wasn't recruited to play point guard, and if Marquette was fully healthy last season, he probably never would have. The 6-4, 200-pound left-hander made his bones as a high scoring 2-guard at every level. At the Evangelical Christian School in Memphis he averaged 20.4 points points per game as a junior and 20.0 as a senior to earn Mr. Basketball honors in Tennessee's Division II Class A. For his first three years at Marquette, he played off the ball while Tyler Kolek ran point as Kolek led the Big East in assists in each of his last two seasons and earned All-America honors as a senior. But when Kolek left for the NBA and was drafted by the Knicks, the Golden Eagles had a hole. It was supposed to be filled by backup Sean Jones, but he tore his ACL in January of 2024 and ended up taking a redshirt this past season. So Kam Jones moved over and the experience ended up making a better player and one perfectly suited for what the Pacers would need in the 2025 draft. The Pacers traded their first-round pick to reacquire their pick for 2026, not thinking they'd have much room to find playing time for a rookie after their first run to the NBA Finals in 25 years with most of their key pieces set to return. However, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tendon tear in Game 7 of the Finals left them in need of temporary depth at the point. The Pacers traded back up into the draft to get the No. 38 overall pick in the second round and took Jones, who can add point depth this year, but just as easily move back to the 2 in the future. 'Really hard not to like Taelon Peter.' Draft's biggest surprise has purpose bigger than basketball Insider: How Kam Jones can answer Pacers' biggest backcourt question "Obviously with (Kolek) in there, I played the 2 a lot and played off the ball a little bit more," Jones said Sunday after practice for the Pacers' NBA Summer League team. "Having to have the ball in my hands really gave me a bunch of reps at being a point guard. It really helped my game from being a little flexible, can do either or. Whatever the team needs, that's what I'm willing to do." Jones' ability to adapt on fly to the position was one of the things that most impressed Marquette coach Shaka Smart during his time there. Jones focused immediately on his weak points and the parts of the job he hadn't executed before and learned what he had to do to involve others in the offense. His senior year was the best of his four years at Marquette as he averaged career-highs in points (19.2), assists (5.9) and rebounds (4.5). "He did a really good job of being intentional about the areas of the game you have to focus on when you play that position," Smart told IndyStar. "Intentionality with passing, with reading pick-and-rolls, different two-man actions with teammates understanding now that I'm the point guard, it's not just about coming off to score, it's about creating for other guys as well." Jones always had a natural desire to see other people succeed, so getting him to invest in his teammates' success wasn't that difficult. But he did have to learn about how to use the tools at a point guard and senior leader's disposal to make that happen. He needed better vision, better understanding of passing angles and also improved communication. He improved on all of the above. "It was more about understanding how to impact others," Smart said. "He's always had a willingness to make the people around him better, now at the point guard position and as the best player and a senior leader, he was more vocal than he's ever been. There was more accountability from him than there had ever been. He had always been a player who was about winning, but the player accountability before his senior year didn't typically come from him. In his senior year he made a really good jump with that. But honestly, his receptivity to what I was asking him to do made it simple for him doing to things we were wanting him to do." Adding the necessary tools to be a point guard only strengthened Jones' already impressive skill set. By the end of his freshman year, Smart had already determined Jones was the most gifted scorer on the roster even though he averaged a modest 7.4 points per game in 18.5 minutes per game, mostly off the bench. He started every game as a sophomore and averaged 15.1 points per game. Then as a junior he averaged 17.2 per game, shooting 50.1% from the floor and 40.6% from 3-point range. As a senior, his efficiency went down as his volume went up, but he was still the second leading scorer in the Big East behind Villanova's Eric Dixon. He helped Marquette win 24 games and earn a NCAA tournament bid before they lost to New Mexico in the first round. "He just has a lot of tricks up his sleeve," Smart said. "He's a very crafty ball-handler and finisher. He has a really good feel for impacting the defense with fakes and with nuances. He's got an incredible spin move, which I'm excited to see will that be as effective at the pro level. You're talking about better defenders and more length, but it was pretty much unstoppable at the college level. He's just kind of an offensive savant. And I'm Joe College Coach, but offense comes easy to him. He gets the spacing, he gets the timing, he gets the four guys on the court. He's a very, very good cutter. The scoring part comes pretty naturally to him." Defense hasn't been as natural in part because Marquette has asked so much from him on the offensive end. Smart's teams are primarily known for defensive pressure and Jones had to brings some of that. However, Smart noted Jones hasn't had to put the same level of focus on defense. To get on the floor in the NBA, he won't have a choice. "We obviously emphasized playing hard and getting after it, but we asked Kam to do so much on offense," Smart said. "I don't know if it was realistic to ask him to be our most desperate defender. I've coached guys before who were prolific scorers or offensive players in college. They get up there and if you want to stick around, you better guard at a high level because there's Tyrese Haliburton and there's Pascal Siakam, and there's other super-talented offensive players on that team and there are guys that understand that they have to play a role that starts on the defensive end and that will certainly be Kam to start his career." For now as the Pacers summer squad approaches its first game Thursday in Las Vegas, his offensive skill and versatility still promises to get him his first looks. Though he's dealing with a hamstring injury, the Pacers already like the options he gives them. "It's being dynamic," said Pacers assistant Isaac Yacob, who is serving as the Summer League team's head coach. "That just adds a layer to his game and to the team. Where he can say, 'Hey, I can play off ball and catch and be aggressive or I can lead a team and get people in the situation where they need to be in."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaraan Cornell, South Bend Clay and Purdue basketball legend, dies at 48
SOUTH BEND ― Jaraan Cornell, who authored one of the greatest shots in IHSAA state basketball history for Clay High School, died unexpectedly Friday, June 6, at the age of 48. The details surrounding his death are unknown, but multiple sources confirmed to the South Bend Tribune that his body was found in his apartment Friday morning. Advertisement Noie column: Friday was a bad day after the loss of a good one in South Bend boys basketball More: 30 years ago South Bend Clay made HS basketball history. What the team is saying today Cornell was a star for the South Bend Clay boys basketball team in the 1990s. He hit one of the defining shots in state history during the 1994 state championship game, draining a '3' as time expired in regulation to force overtime. Clay went onto beat Valparaiso, 93-88, in overtime in one of the final title games on the one-class era. Jaraan Cornell celebrates hitting the tying shot at the buzzer as South Bend Clay went on to defeat No. 1 Valparaiso in overtime for the 1994 state championship. Cornell was a sophomore on the 1994 team. He would be named an Indiana All-Star and finished third in the Mr. Basketball award voting in 1996. He then had a decorated playing career at Purdue University, including back-to-back third team all-Big Ten selections in 1998 and 1999. He was named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary team in 2021. Advertisement Cornell returned to South Bend later in life, becoming a basketball coach. He spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons leading the Clay girls basketball program and was still active in the hoops scene in town. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Legendary South Bend Clay basketball player Jaraan Cornell dies at 48
Indianapolis Star
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
See the best moments from the boys Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainrbidge Fieldhouse
Indiana All-Star and Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins sits on the sidelines during team introductions Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star Kellen Pickett (11) plays defense Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star and Miss Basketball Maya Makalusky (1) smiles for a photo with Indiana All-Star and Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Grace Hollars/IndyStar Kentucky All-Star Maddox Huff (6) attempts to pass the ball against Indiana All-Star Azavier Robinson (3) on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star Mark Zachary IV (2) walks off the court Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star and Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins recovers a rebound Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star head coach Marc Urban yells to players on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Indiana All-Star Tre Singleton (10) goes in for a dunk Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar
Indianapolis Star
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Purdue basketball and South Bend Clay legend Jaraan Cornell dies at 48
SOUTH BEND ― Jaraan Cornell, who authored one of the greatest shots in IHSAA state basketball history for Clay High School, died unexpectedly Friday, June 6, at the age of 48. The details surrounding his death are unknown, but multiple sources confirmed to the South Bend Tribune that his body was found in his apartment Friday morning. Noie column: Friday was a bad day after the loss of a good one in South Bend boys basketball More: 30 years ago South Bend Clay made HS basketball history. What the team is saying today Cornell was a star for the South Bend Clay boys basketball team in the 1990s. He hit one of the defining shots in state history during the 1994 state championship game, draining a '3' as time expired in regulation to force overtime. Clay went onto beat Valparaiso, 93-88, in overtime in one of the final title games on the one-class era. Cornell was a sophomore on the 1994 team. He would be named an Indiana All-Star and finished third in the Mr. Basketball award voting in 1996. He then had a decorated playing career at Purdue University, including back-to-back third team all-Big Ten selections in 1998 and 1999. He was named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary team in 2021.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vermont basketball gains two transfers on same day
In the span of an hour on May 17, Vermont basketball landed two transfers to join the 2025-26 Catamount program. Ben Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound guard from Bellarmine, and Chris Kuzemka, a 6-foot, 180-pound guard from Loyola, committed to Vermont over the weekend. GoEmpire Group, a sports agency based out of Chicago, announced Johnson's commitment on X, formerly known as Twitter. Kuzemka, who will be a walk-on, shared news on his social media pages. Advertisement Vermont previously picked up forwards Gus Yalden, Ben Michels and Trey Woodyard via the transfer portal and brought back Jackson Skipper, who spent last season at Oral Roberts following two years in Burlington. Head coach John Becker and his Vermont staff are searching for two more scholarship spots to round out the 2025-26 roster. Chris Kuzemka: Beat cancer diagnosis this spring Kuzemka left the Loyola program in January to have surgery and receive treatment for a cancerous mass found on his body. On April 18, Kuzemka posted on his Instagram page that he was "cancer free" following five months of "scans, surgery, and four rounds of chemotherapy." Doing his time at Loyola, Kuzemka played in 60 games (started four) over three-plus seasons, averaging 5.5 points per game and making 67 out of 172 3-point attempts (39%). Advertisement Prior to Loyola, Kuzemka was the Virginia Class 6A player of the year as a senior in 2020-21 when he averaged 22.7 points, 4.6 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game, helping Centreville High School to district, region and state titles. Ben Johnson: Averaged 12.2 points a game at Bellarmine Bellarmine Knights guard Ben Johnson (33) looks to pass the ball by Utah Utes guard Cole Bajema (2) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center on Dec. 20, 2023. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Johnson averaged 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 37.3% from 3-point range in 77 games (42 starts) for Bellarmine. Johnson reached double figures in 10 games this past winter, with a season-high 29 points on 10 of 21 shooting with six 3s in a 100-68 loss to Louisville, before an injury limited his availability to just 18 total games. Advertisement In 2022-23, Johnson landed on the Atlantic Sun Conference all-rookie team and his 38.1% shooting on 3s as a sophomore the following season ranked fourth in his conference. In high school at Lexington Catholic, Johnson was a two-time captain and four-year starter who was named Kentucky's Mr. Basketball in 2021 when he averaged 27 points per game. Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@ Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont basketball: Ben Johnson, Chris Kuzemka commit to Catamounts
