Summer Q&A: Curtis Jones
5/23/2017 6:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - With the spring academic semester completed and summer school underway, we continue the offseason Q&A with rising sophomore Curtis Jones, where he talks about his freshman season as well as what he hopes to improve upon this summer while he is on campus.
Q: Your game against Kansas is as good a first game as any player at IU has had considering how high the opponent was ranked (3rd).
A: That game I just came out and played. I knew I belonged there, I put in the work. I just came out and gave it all I had. If I made a mistake, I made a mistake, but I tried to play as hard as I could. It was a fun time, we were just feeding off each other.
Q: What is your biggest takeaway from that night.
A: You have to treat every playing opportunity as "The" opportunity to make a difference for your team. That night both teams were in foul trouble and you need everyone to be ready to step up. You want to have a consistent effort and consistent mindset each night that you have a role to play and you will play that to the best of your ability.
Q: What's the biggest thing you hope to get out of this summer?
A: To get more prepared for next year. I've been in the weight room a lot, working on my nutrition, getting stronger, things like that.
Q: What did you learn about college basketball your freshman season?
A: I learned some things. Sometimes things don't go like you want them to go, but you have to continue to work, stay in the gym, trust the process and keep a strong head. That's what I tried to do.
Q: The group of guards that are coming back all bring something to the table, will you push each other to get better?
A: Definitely, we all do different things well and we all have good understanding of each other's games and we know how to play off that. We worked on that in open gym. I'm excited for that and ready to get after it. (As a group, Jones, Robert Johnson, Josh Newkirk and Devonte Green shot a combined 38.8 percent from three-point range last season and had 258 assists to 218 turnovers)
Q: What is it like to wear the Indiana jersey?
A: I know that people look up to you and our fans, wherever you go, treat us with great respect. Rob and I both grew up in Virginia and regardless of where you are from, being a Hoosier is special.
Q: What are you doing academically this summer?
A: I'm in one class right now, then in the second term of summer I will be in two classes. Three classes in total over the summer.
Q: With your roommates, De'Ron Davis and Devonte Green, what do you guys like to do to have fun in the summer?
A: We are together all the time as freshmen over in the dorms. 24/7. Doing different things – playing NBA 2K, playing cards. Always competing off the court in little stuff. We still are doing that, but we are going to do some stuff on the court to get ready for the season. And yes, I'm probably the best at 2K.
Q: Talk about the Iowa game in the Big Ten Tournament and how you use that effort moving forward.
A: That game definitely helped me at the end of the year because I felt I was still capable of doing all the things that I did during the Kansas game. Just getting back out there and competing with your teammates. You build things with certain teammates. Playing with Juwan Morgan in the Kansas game and the Iowa game. It was chemistry that we had built together.
Q: Last year, you were able to be here for the summer. Is coaching in the camp something the players like doing and is it competitive amongst each other.
A: That's just a fun time because it's relaxed. You're with each other in a relaxed environment, but still having fun with the kids. We are all competitive, so when you're coaching teams you want to win. When people win championships, people take that serious. It's a fun time.
Q: What was your team like last year?
A: I won one championship last year. I won the last camp with the younger kids. It was fun because everyone's so excited.
Q: Your game against Kansas is as good a first game as any player at IU has had considering how high the opponent was ranked (3rd).
A: That game I just came out and played. I knew I belonged there, I put in the work. I just came out and gave it all I had. If I made a mistake, I made a mistake, but I tried to play as hard as I could. It was a fun time, we were just feeding off each other.
Q: What is your biggest takeaway from that night.
A: You have to treat every playing opportunity as "The" opportunity to make a difference for your team. That night both teams were in foul trouble and you need everyone to be ready to step up. You want to have a consistent effort and consistent mindset each night that you have a role to play and you will play that to the best of your ability.
Q: What's the biggest thing you hope to get out of this summer?
A: To get more prepared for next year. I've been in the weight room a lot, working on my nutrition, getting stronger, things like that.
Q: What did you learn about college basketball your freshman season?
A: I learned some things. Sometimes things don't go like you want them to go, but you have to continue to work, stay in the gym, trust the process and keep a strong head. That's what I tried to do.
Q: The group of guards that are coming back all bring something to the table, will you push each other to get better?
A: Definitely, we all do different things well and we all have good understanding of each other's games and we know how to play off that. We worked on that in open gym. I'm excited for that and ready to get after it. (As a group, Jones, Robert Johnson, Josh Newkirk and Devonte Green shot a combined 38.8 percent from three-point range last season and had 258 assists to 218 turnovers)
Q: What is it like to wear the Indiana jersey?
A: I know that people look up to you and our fans, wherever you go, treat us with great respect. Rob and I both grew up in Virginia and regardless of where you are from, being a Hoosier is special.
Q: What are you doing academically this summer?
A: I'm in one class right now, then in the second term of summer I will be in two classes. Three classes in total over the summer.
Q: With your roommates, De'Ron Davis and Devonte Green, what do you guys like to do to have fun in the summer?
A: We are together all the time as freshmen over in the dorms. 24/7. Doing different things – playing NBA 2K, playing cards. Always competing off the court in little stuff. We still are doing that, but we are going to do some stuff on the court to get ready for the season. And yes, I'm probably the best at 2K.
Q: Talk about the Iowa game in the Big Ten Tournament and how you use that effort moving forward.
A: That game definitely helped me at the end of the year because I felt I was still capable of doing all the things that I did during the Kansas game. Just getting back out there and competing with your teammates. You build things with certain teammates. Playing with Juwan Morgan in the Kansas game and the Iowa game. It was chemistry that we had built together.
Q: Last year, you were able to be here for the summer. Is coaching in the camp something the players like doing and is it competitive amongst each other.
A: That's just a fun time because it's relaxed. You're with each other in a relaxed environment, but still having fun with the kids. We are all competitive, so when you're coaching teams you want to win. When people win championships, people take that serious. It's a fun time.
Q: What was your team like last year?
A: I won one championship last year. I won the last camp with the younger kids. It was fun because everyone's so excited.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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