Ex-Hornets Star Kai Jones Recalls Envisioning His Viral Dunk on Victor Wembanyama: “Gonna Dunk on Him and Lock Him Up”

The 2023 draft class has shown enormous potential in their limited time in the NBA. The 2023-24 NBA season is less than a month old, yet rookies such as Ausar Thompson, Jordan Hawkins, and Dereck Lively II have already shown a glimpse of their superstar potential. However, Victor Wembanyama has overshadowed his draft-mates.

Victor became one of the most hyped draft prospects since LeBron James in 2003. To say that immense pressure surrounded Wembanyama would be an understatement. In a brief span of time, Victor has cemented his place as the talisman of a young Spurs team. However, Victor experienced embarrassment from a former Hornets center in the Summer League before he established himself as an NBA star.

Wembanyama’s “Welcome to the NBA” moment

The San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama with the No.1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He came into the league with unmatched hype and fanfare. The NBA had never seen a player of Wembanyama’s size with the skillset that Wembanyama possessed. Ever since Victor set foot on an NBA court, his generational talent has been unmistakably evident. Nevertheless, many people had their reservations about Victor’s size and stature, which many believed to be injury-prone.

The curiosity to witness Wembanyama play in the United States was satisfied when the Spurs faced the Charlotte Hornets in the Summer League. Victor only scored 9 points in the game. Victor had his “Welcome to the NBA” moment when Hornets’ center Kai Jones posterized him with a vicious alley-oop dunk.

However, that was as good as it got for Kai Jones, as he would soon find himself without a team due to his antics. Recently, he made an appearance on the Vizion podcast, in which he recalled his viral dunk on Victor.

He said, “My friends would call me back and be like ‘You got Victor today’. I’m like I’m gonna dunk on him and I’m gonna lock him up too. I felt like I was going to dunk on him because of how I play.” Despite showing promise in the early stages of his career, Kai Jones finds himself without a team.

Why is Kai Jones without an NBA team?

Kai Jones, despite showcasing promise early in his career, currently finds himself without an NBA team due to behavioral concerns. His deranged conduct and antics have reportedly raised red flags among teams, leading to a lack of interest in signing him. He even publicly insulted his teammate Mark Williams and asked for a trade away from Charlotte.

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Off-court issues, including incidents that reflect negatively on his professionalism, have likely contributed to the reluctance of teams to secure his services. These concerns about his behavior and potential impact on team dynamics have made it challenging for Kai Jones to secure a roster spot in the NBA. However, should Jones convert his considerable potential into tangible on-court performance, it could pave the way for a second opportunity in the NBA.

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