Adams and Kings Still Have Lots of Growth Left

Written for nbl.com.au by Chris Pike

Jaylen Adams feels both himself and the Sydney Kings are still just warming up this NBL season, but he wouldn’t want to be doing so under a coach other than Chase Buford as he continues to prove what a standout two-way guard he is.

Following his college career at St. Bonaventure before beginning his pro career in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Milwaukee Bucks, and the G-League with Erie BayHawks and Wisconsin Herd, Adams felt it was time for a change.

The dynamic guard wanted a fresh start overseas both for a lifestyle change and to experience something new on the basketball court. What he didn’t necessarily want was a new coach, though, so signing at the Sydney Kings became an obvious choice.

Chase Buford coached Adams at Wisconsin in the G-League, they were together at the Bucks and when he was appointed coach at Sydney, Adams simply couldn’t say no to the possibility of continuing their relationship.

That didn’t mean it has been all smooth sailing though. Adams injured an ankle one game into his NBL career and was forced to miss the next five games before building himself upon returning.

Adams has now found some spectacular form including 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in Sunday's 96-81 win against the Perth Wildcats, but he feels the Kings have plenty of growth left.

"I was enjoying my time in Sydney anyway really since I first got here, it's new for me but at the same time I'm really enjoying everything about living here. I've also enjoyed meeting the new guys and helping us gel as a team," Adams said. 

"I'm just glad to be back out there playing with them. There's a really good feeling and our morale is really, really high right now. We've finally now put a fourth quarter together even though I still think we can be a little better in the fourth quarter honestly. 

"But we are doing such a good job early in games to get leads that make it hard to come back from. When we come out in that first half like we are is good, but we can still get better in the second halves and we feel like we still have a long way to go."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jaylen Adams did a serious number* on the Wildcats yesterday ?<br><br>*lots of numbers<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> By the Numbers powered by <a href="https://twitter.com/LaTrobeFin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaTrobeFin</a> <a href="https://t.co/JTun864CBs">pic.twitter.com/JTun864CBs</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1487934373387468800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What Adams can do offensively is plain for all to see. He's a terrific ball handler and facilitator who can run an offence, but he is also a flat out shooter and scorer, equally proficient at hitting the long jumper to getting to the rack.

Right now he is averaging 19.8 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds a game in his first NBL season while shooting 41.0 per cent from the field and 38.5 per cent from beyond the arc.

That offence is going to make him one of the hardest to stop guards in the league now that he is feeling healthy and confident, but it's at the defensive end where the 25-year-old from Maryland is focusing much of his attention.

His on-ball defence has always been a strength, but his off-ball defence is a work in progress and it was on point in Sunday's win over Perth where he spent time denying both Bryce Cotton and Vic Law.

"I take a lot of pride in my defence. I do think I can get a little better off the ball and I think that's what was so special about that game on Sunday – I wasn’t getting the best guard like I had been on the past," he said.

"I think I'm a really good on-ball defender but this game it was more so about helping contain Bryce and Vic, and it was a good feeling afterwards. I feel like I made the right shifts and went to the right help side, and I know I can still get a little better at it but I think it was a step in the right direction. 

"It's something that Chase has been talking to me about for a little while now so I'm glad I could go out and do that."

Coming off such a brilliant game at both ends against the Wildcats, Adams is understandably feeling good coming into Friday's clash in Hobart with the Tasmania JackJumpers. 

But he knows it will also mean back to on-ball defence on either Josh Adams or Josh Magette.

"This is going to be a bit different, though, and I'll probably be on one of those guys on the ball guarding them. So my job goes back to normal and I do like playing that on-ball defence," Adams said.

"I feel like it's a bit easier to focus in when you know you're guarding one of the better players especially with the ball in their hand, so somebody like Josh Magette who controls the offence and creates most of it for them. I look forward to the challenge and really all the defensive challenges ahead in this league."

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Going back to when Adams first got to Sydney, it was a tough time. He had to spend significant time in isolation, the season was pushed back a little, they had pre-season games called off and then he injured his ankle.

While he did miss five games, having other games postponed thanks to COVID protocols actually worked in his favour so he missed less action, which he was relieved about.

"It was tough just being over here by yourself in a new country and then basketball is the thing that keeps you steady, and I wasn’t playing it," he said.

"It was really tough but I just tried to work hard on my rehab and try to remain vocal with the guys. It was really tough there honestly, but that big break with COVID kind of helped us out so I didn’t miss eight or 10 games. Instead I only missed a few so I'm thankful for that break just as much as I didn’t enjoy getting hurt."

Adams had already made the decision that it was time to head overseas and step out of his comfort zone for the first time and get out of the United States.

He wasn’t sure where it would take him and he was open to listen to opportunities from anywhere, but when the Kings came calling and they had appointed Buford as coach, the decision was easy.

"I just thought it was about that time for me to try going overseas. It felt like time for me to experience something different and for a change of pace," Adams said.

"Then I have a high level of respect for Chase so when I knew he was coaching down here, that's where I wanted to play. He really cares about me as a person and that's important for me honestly. 

"Having a coach in your corner so you don't have to go overseas and convince another person that you are a good player is a big help. 

"I have built that trust and relationship with Chase where he won't lose faith in me like another coach might. Honestly Chase was the biggest part in me choosing to play with the Kings."

Adams isn’t sure what it would be like to play under another coach having got so used to life with Buford, but he's not in a hurry to find out and is happy that he has a coach that believes in him so much.

"I don’t know if it would be strange playing for someone else, but it would be definitely different. I am absolutely grateful for having Chase in my corner and just being able to go overseas and not have to deal with something new, and building up that relationship with someone else," he said.

"I'm already in a new country for a new team with new teammates, so at least I haven’t got a new coach. That's the one thing that has pretty much remained consistent for me with him throughout it all. 

"It's that familiarity that helps and I knew RJ Hunter too obviously, and it's really rough to see what happened with him."

One thing Adams did prepare himself for when coming down under was for a culture shock. He had never been overseas before and didn’t really know what to expect, but he's been pleasantly surprised with everything about living in Australia.

The only thing he's missing is his grandma's home cooking and that's what he can't wait to get stuck into again as soon as he returns home.

"I thought it would be a big culture shock but it really hasn’t been. Everybody speaks English, everybody's nice and the weather is nice. It's summer time and I'm thankful for that because then I'll go home and it will be summer again so that's worked out good," Adams said.

"I've really enjoyed this whole experience and it hasn’t been too much of a culture shock honestly. I do miss some of my home cooked meals but other than that it has been pretty straight forward. 

"I don't know if there's any one meal my grandma makes that I miss the most, but she can really cook. I just look forward to her food again, honestly I'll probably just tell her to go crazy the whole first week I'm back and give me something different every day."

As for the Kings, they have now strung their best two games of the season together coming into the Round 10 match ups with the JackJumpers and New Zealand Breakers.

Adams likes the way the group stuck together through some tough times and now is excited by what the rest of the season holds for them.

"We never really wavered too much, we knew were dealing with injuries and me myself, I knew I was dealing with an injury. When something happens to your lower body it's not going to take a minute to get back into that rhythm," Adams said.

"I had that conversation with Chase and just told him that I would be better as I get healthier. We've lost key guy after key guy after key guy since the beginning of the season. You can only play with what you've got and I think we are just doing a great job with that next man up mentality.

"I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season now. We are focusing on getting better every day and everybody is learning their spots on the floor, learning what the coaches want and I think it's one of those things where we are only going to keep getting better and healthier. I'm really excited to see what's next for us and trying to get back in that hunt. "