Mason Jones Speaks on First Impressions with Sixers
After practice on Thursday, Philadelphia 76ers two-way player Mason Jones would speak to the media for the first time since joining the team. He would answer some questions and give some insight on his first impressions since joining his new team.
He would start things off by giving his opinion on where he fits in with this team right now. Jones is aware that it is not an everyday occurrence for a rookie to join a team with championship aspirations, which is why he has his eyes set on the future.
The 22-year-old would say his role right now is to focus on getting better every single day. Between learning plays and defensive rotations to working hard daily, Jones wants to show the team that they can trust him now, and in the future.
Another topic that Jones would touch on is the culture, saying it is much different from when he was in Houston earlier this season.
"The vibes are amazing. Everybody's on the same vibes, they want to win, want to win a championship. You can just see that every day through practice, in the locker room, in the games, off the court, you know we're together. It's a good culture, starting from Doc Rivers down," he says.
It seems that Jones has taken a liking to his new team, and part of it may be because of the reunion he's been able to have. After playing together at Arkansas in college, Jones and rookie Isaiah Joe have joined forces again in the NBA.
He would mention that it has been "unreal" getting to play with his college teammate again.
"It's crazy, every day they just see when we play together, they just see the chemistry. I know where Isaiah is gonna be, Isaiah know where I'm gonna be, when we play together they can tell we played together," says Jones.
Winning in the margins is key for organizations that look to remain competitive for long stretches. Daryl Morey did a great find finding young talent like Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed in the draft, and he might have found another hidden gem in Mason Jones.
If Jones can continue to build his game like the other rookies on this roster, the Sixers will have more than enough good talent in the pipeline for the long term.
Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.
