WESTFIELD — Rookie point guard Kam Jones was one of the Indiana Pacers players in attendance for Tyrese Haliburton’s youth camp at the Pacers Athletic Center on Saturday.
Haliburton is still recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon injury he suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June. Haliburton’s decision to host the camp despite being hurt motivates Jones to use his platform in the NBA to give back.
“That speaks to his commitment to the game of basketball and how much he cares about the community in Indiana,” Jones told IndyStar. “To be going through what he’s going through, and still host his camp, and still be interactive in his camp, that just shows the type of person he is.”
Added Jones: “I love seeing the youth play basketball. We were once in those shoes at camps, not even really knowing what we were doing, just playing basketball and having fun. So he’s definitely been inspiring, and it’s definitely something I would want to do in the near future.”
The Pacers drafted Jones 38th overall in this year’s NBA draft. Jones appreciates how Indiana has embraced him already, even though he hasn’t suited up for the Pacers yet. He felt that same love Saturday.
“I feel like there’s a lot of love in the city, especially just being here for the couple of months that I’ve been here,” Jones said. “With how hard the kids are playing and the parents being here for them, it just seems like a place of love. And it’s good to find that in the gym, too.”
Seeing parents watch their kids and take time out of their day to attend Haliburton’s camp reminded Jones of his own. Jones remembers his parents calling out from work to go to basketball tournaments and spending their money on camps.
”Even with the money they didn’t really have, my parents sacrificed a lot over the years to give me a chance of chasing my dreams,” Jones said.
His dream came true. Jones made the NBA.
Jones provides Indiana needed backcourt depth with Haliburton set to miss next season. The Marquette alum averaged a career-high in points (19.2), assists (5.9) and rebounds (4.5) in his senior year in 2025.
Jones doesn’t expect an easy transition to the league, but he’s ready for whatever obstacles come his way.
“I’m excited to get going,” Jones said. ”I know it’s going to be tough and there’s going to be a lot of challenges. I’m looking forward to facing them.”
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