Michael Nyarko
Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets has been gaining significant attention on social media due to a viral video suggesting possible drug use.
In the aftermath, Jones has been making waves for his bold remarks, ranging from criticizing his own teammates to issuing challenges to basketball legends.
Kai Jones, 22, was recently caught the spotlight with his controversial comments regarding NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.
Jones took to his X account, engaging with fans and making audacious claims. He tweeted that he could defeat LeBron James in a one-on-one match and confidently stated that he could dominate Shaquille O’Neal in the same scenario.
Yes 100%
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) September 14, 2023
I’ll cook prime diesel in here 🐐🌈🦋🛸💕💕 https://t.co/zXHkZ59YMW
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) September 14, 2023
While Kai Jones’ bold claims about defeating LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal may have garnered attention, it’s essential to acknowledge the improbability of such a matchup. James and O’Neal are undeniably two of the most dominant figures in NBA history.
LeBron, known as the ‘King,’ boasts career averages of 27.2 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 7.3 assists per game during his 21-season NBA career.
Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal retired with averages of 23.7 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game.
Kai Jones joined the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021 NBA Draft as the No. 19 pick. The team had high hopes for him, particularly to strengthen their frontcourt, but he has not lived up to their expectations.
Over the past two seasons, the young big man has played in just 67 games, with average stats of 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
In the previous season, he participated in 46 games, averaging 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in just 12.0 minutes per game.
His limited playing time, coupled with the Hornets’ desire to allocate more minutes to Mark Williams, has cast doubt on Jones’ future with the team.
He still has two years remaining on his contract worth $7.6 million, with $3.0 million for this year and $4.6 million slated for the 2024/25 season.
Despite his potential, the team may consider parting ways with Jones, especially if he doesn’t make significant strides this season.
Moreover, Jones’ recent social media activity, where he criticized some of his Charlotte Hornets teammates and asserted his superiority over them, may have irked the front office.
This could potentially create locker room discord as the team heads into training camp in early October.