Spencer Jones Post Practice Media | 2025 Summer League 🎙

Spencer Jones Post Practice Media | 2025 Summer League 🎙

How damage has you been in the first few days?
Two days.
It’s been great. I mean, we got to playing right away. So, it’s fast-paced. You know, a lot of guys got to learn the offense. I mean, we got like, you know, three, four guys who have to like kind of, you know, know where we’re running, everything like that. So, it’s catching up the other guys up to speed, but it’s a lot of, you know, it’s a lot of practice for us for our leadership and uh, you know, kind of leading leading us through a nice little summer of league wins.
What are your personal goals here, you know, you want to get done? For me, uh, it’s really just proving, uh, proving really what I can do, um, value to the Nuggets, you know, not doing too much outside of that. So, for me, it’s just showing that I’m a great defender, can pick up pick up the ball full court, pick guard a bunch of guys, one through four and stuff like that, and then knock down consistent open shots, maybe do a little um, a little bit in the post against smaller guys, but, you know, really just keep it simple, you know, know how to play the right way, can fit in with any system, any lineup and stuff like that. So, that’s kind of my goals.
What’s the offseason program kind of look like for you to get yourself ready for this? Yeah, for me it’s just been honestly it’s just a lot of live play with the guys playing out of our uh system. So, a lot of offball movement knowing how to, you know, obviously learning how to Nicole is going to have the ball a lot. So, learning how to get to your space, open it up for him to be able to make those reads and then finishing off uh those plays when he gives you the ball cuz I mean, you know, when he gives you the ball, usually it’s almost always the right the right play. So, you either got a shot or a easy layup. So, it’s just being able to finish that.
Can you walk us through the process of being back here for a second year? Uh yeah, I mean, you know, two ways it’s an interesting one because you don’t really know when they’re going to pick you up or where they’re at, you know, and then the uh you know, it’s been diff extra difficult just because we’ve been, you know, trying to get our GM got it late and stuff like that. So, you know, you’re just showing up to showing up to work really not knowing if you’re if you’re coming back or not. So, I mean, it really teaches you mental toughness and stuff like that to keep doing the doing the same thing no matter what the situation is. And uh yeah, it’s been great. I mean, you know, I I found out I was, you know, got the extended offer what, maybe like a week and a half ago, but even before then, it was just, you know, practicing like I already had it. So, that’s that’s kind of what you just got to do.
Kind of building off that, Tamar said you guys had a pre-existing relationship. So, like, what kind of advice would you give him about kind of maximizing the opportunity as a rookie on a two-way deal?
Yeah. No, I mean, it’s been great. Now, we got like three KC guys. Me, him, and uh Christian, we’re all grew up about 20 minutes away from each other, so we knew each other growing up and stuff like that. CB really helped me kind of understand kind of how to, you know, stand out to Malone in this like limited role and stuff like that. So, I mean, for him, I just say like honestly one like ask questions and be direct. I mean, that’s what I love about this coaching staff. Like, when I ask a question like, “Hey, what’s my role? What do you envision for me?” They’re simple, direct, everything like that. And then just taking that to really it’s just doing the simple things. Like, so for me, it was just going in defensively, playing my playing my butt off. Um, just doing that little simple thing and then growing it out from there. Making, you know, making easy shots, stuff like that. go out thinking you got to, you know, go out and score a 20 and do all that stuff and everything like that. Like I mean, you know, out of all the two ways I probably scored the least and, you know, I’m I’m back and, you know, so it’s it’s not always about all that. So,
is there anything about the experience here over the last year that made you want to be able to run it back and and do the two-way thing again in Denver?
Yeah, I mean, I just I love the I love the culture here. I love the guys here. Um, you know, it’s a great locker room even through like kind of all the all the mess there at the end a little bit. like you see, we we came together pretty quickly, pretty seamlessly and everything like that. That speaks to the leadership we have. And then, you know, like I said, a lot of guys take me under their wing, everything like that. And the coaching staff, you know, has been very supportive and everything like that. And like, look, I I knew the situation coming in. We have a pretty set uh kind of roster, you know, and then outside of that on the bench, it’s like, all right, where can we get spot minutes that are effective and stuff like that? So, I knew the situation coming in. I feel like I could fit in it pretty well.
Wasn’t beautiful Grand Rapids. It’s a little underrated. You know, the the winters are tough. The winters are tough. a lot of snow, but I mean, you know, I’m from Kansas City, so I’m used to all the season, so it wasn’t it wasn’t too bad. You know, eventually basketball’s basketball, so go ahead. When you’re on a 2-way mentally, and in terms of I think communication with the organization, does it feel like you’re 100% a part of the organization or are there some are there some things that are lost in translation, miscommunications?
It feel it can feel like Yeah, it can feel like you’re a little separate sometimes, especially early on. You know, when you’re going through training camp, it’s like it’s separated on, you know, um opportunity and stuff like that. So you notice you only get like maybe a couple reps versus other guys getting like 10 to 15. And so it can make you feel uh a little distance, especially when you know got to put your red jersey on, be like a practice player throughout the season and stuff like that. But as you like grow into it, you get more opportunity. You know, the coaches talk to you more and stuff like that. You get to relationships with your teammates. So a lot of it’s just being new. Um and then yeah, I mean, you’re getting shipped up randomly and stuff like that. That’s that’s part of it. And honestly, I don’t hate it. you know, sometimes, you know, I want to go up and play and make sure I’m still in shape, make sure I’m still improving on my game despite, you know, also needing to, you know, know what NBA life is like. So, it’s been a balance of both. A lot of learning opportunities. That’s kind of how you just got to see it.
But to follow up on that, how how nice has that?
Yeah. No, that’s been that’s been great. I mean, we run very similar stuff up in uh Grand Rapids. The only difference is I mean like look you know you’re not going to find a N cola everywhere. So it’s a little it’s a little bit different but in terms of the plays and stuff like that they try to keep it as as similar as possible which is great cuz I mean you’d be a little worried about that with you know the G- League team being such a distance away and everything like that but no it’s same communication on what I need to work on here is the same thing up there and it’s it’s been pretty seamless.
So Ron’s been getting a lot of attention just just coming back from the major injury that he’s he’s coming back from. Just how excited are you just as a teammate for him last year and just seeing the progression?
Oh I’m Yeah, I’m I’m super excited for him. I mean, he he he was in, you know, he was in the training room all the time going through that. Had a great attitude through it forever. And then, I mean, now he’s, you know, he’s been he’s been healthy enough to play for about the last few months, so it’s been fun kind of kind of getting to see it, you know, him developing everything. As he gets more confident, he’s, you know, definitely getting better and everything like that. So, like, it’s, you know, crazy. Yep. Very versatile. Can shoot can shoot well, defend multiple positions, and, you know, he can score in the paint. He’s, you know, he really built up his body over the last over the last couple months. So, you can tell he wasn’t wasting time just kind of laying around everything like So I have tremendous respect for him coming back from that long injury. So very much appreciate you guys.

Hear what Spencer Jones had to say after mini-camp practice leading up to NBA Summer League.

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Spencer Jones Post Practice Media | 2025 Summer League 🎙