The EuroCup rookie enjoyed a memorable season playing alongside the current San Antonio Spurs superstar
DeVante' Jones and his wild European debut with Victor Wembanyama
Player Spotlight
5 Lesezeit
DeVante' Jones experienced a European debut that very few basketball players do. The Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard was part of almost a rock-star show that included games in Las Vegas and meeting Kylian Mbappe. And it was all because of Victor Wembanyama.
Jones’s connection with the current NBA sensation goes back to their mutual trainer, Tim Martin. Jones and Wembanyama worked out at the same gym in the summer of 2022 in Dallas.
“I was like, is that the guy everybody's raving about? So I walked over and had a talk with him and we hit it off right away,” Jones remembered.
And when Jones’s agent told him of the opportunity to play with Wembanyama at Metropolitans 92, he jumped at it.
“The first day I got the Paris I went over to Victor and it was like we've been together all the time, our whole lives. He was one of the best teammates I ever played with, just very unselfish,” said Jones.
The 2022-23 season was a great ride with Metropolitans. In October 2022, the team flew to Las Vegas to play against the G League Unite team in two exhibition games. It was a chance for the world to see Wembanyama go up against the player most people thought had the best chance to get picked number one in the 2023 NBA Draft over him – Scoot Henderson. And Wembanyama didn’t disappoint with games of 37 and 36 points.
“It was amazing. The stars in Vegas: LeBron [James], Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, etc. They came just to support Victor. But just being able to see guys that you look up to or you watch every day, it was kind of amazing,” Jones said.
“I think being in Vegas, that's when Victor really solidified himself being the number one pick… He was just doing some crazy things that you were just not used to seeing. And he had the whole crowd cheering his name and things like that. So it was great. Just having the opportunity to play in front of LeBron James. Just having all that media attention. Staying in a great hotel. Just being able to enjoy Vegas, just being out there for a week, really just enjoying it.”
The Wemby Show also gave Jones a chance to meet some of the biggest stars in the world. There was an NBA Draft Lottery watch party held at the Nike facility in Paris and world football stars like Mbappe and Neymar were there – in addition to Jones.
“Victor did a great job just making us feel famous as well,” he said.
The French League season ended with Metropolitans losing to AS Monaco in the finals, falling 3-0 to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague team. That didn’t go over well with Wembanyama.
“Man, he cried so much. He was just so hurt,” Jones said. “After we lost that last game, we got in a circle and Victor says: I will never be swept again. And just hearing that come from somebody that young, just the competitiveness he had, and the maturity he showed throughout the whole season, that's something you don't really see.”
The two parted ways after the season. Wembanyama, of course, went on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and won the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year award for an outstanding first season with the San Antonio Spurs.
Jones left Metropolitans but stayed in France, moving to Le Mans. He ranked second in the league in scoring with 15.9 points per game, taking on a different role while also dishing out 5.2 assists per game – the fifth-best average in the French top flight.
“I didn't play with as much talent and in order for us to get some wins and compete, I had to take more of that scoring role. Also, while being a playmaker as well,” Jones said. “When it comes to me, I can adjust and adapt to any situation. If I need to score, I score. If I need to be able to make reads, make passes, I do that as well.”
Le Mans ended up taking 11th place in the league and missing the playoffs.
This season, Jones is debuting in the BKT EuroCup with Cedevita, which poses him a different challenge since he is playing in a different league and also facing teams from throughout Europe.
"What stands out is the pace of the game. It's very special,” he commented. “Valencia is very fast. They get the ball out quick. They shoot the ball within five seconds sometimes of the shot clock. Each game is different, though. Every team brings something different. And it's fun because you just never know who you're going to play against.”
Looking back, Jones enjoys talking about that first year in France with Wembanyama. There are a lot of things he remembers of the Frenchman’s star talent: how he worked out in the weight room with no socks or shoes to help strengthen his feet; his preparation, including getting to practice early to mentally get himself together; the way he carried himself as the first to be in the gym and the last to leave; seeing him just to hate losing; having to play him one-on-one over and over again.
“It's not normal. So just seeing that, such a competitive nature at his age is like, I like this. So it started rubbing off on me and the whole team. So, I learned a lot from Victor.”
It’s fair to say Jones enjoyed his wild, season-long ride with Victor Wembanyama.