South Sudan’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team has achieved a remarkable feat by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Leading the charge are several key individuals, with starting point guard Carlik Jones playing a pivotal role.
Jones, who has been representing South Sudan on the international stage since 2023, brings a wealth of NBA experience to the team. His adept playmaking skills have been instrumental in setting up the talented roster for success at the upcoming Olympics.
His exceptional performance was highlighted by a triple-double in South Sudan’s narrow one-point loss to Team USA just before the Paris Olympics.
Who is Carlik Jones?
Carlik Jones is a basketball player of American-South Sudanese descent who is set to compete with Serbian club KK Partizan in the 2024-25 season. He previously played for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Originally from Cincinnati, Jones played college basketball at Radford University and the University of Louisville.
Following the 2021 NBA Draft, Jones went undrafted and joined the Texas Legends in the NBA G League. He later earned 10-day contracts with the Mavericks and Nuggets during his rookie season.
After a stint with the Mavericks and Nuggets organizations in the 2021-22 season, Jones signed a two-way contract with the Bulls for the 2022-23 season and was named MVP of the 2023 NBA G League season.
Carlik Jones Stats vs. Team USA
- 32 minutes
- 15 points
- 11 rebounds
- 11 assists
- 2 steals
- 1 turnover
- 7-21 (33.3 percent) field goal shooting
- 1-1 (100.0 percent) free throw shooting
Carlik Jones NBA Stats
- 12 games
- 6.6 minutes per game
- 2.0 points per game
- 0.7 rebounds per game
- 0.9 assists per game
- 29.2 percent field goal shooting
- 42.9 percent 3-point shooting
- 70.0 percent free throw shooting