Indiana Pacers rookie Kam Jones was on hand to support teammate T.J. McConnell on Wednesday as the veteran threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Indy Indians.
Jones was joined by fellow second-round pick Taelon Peter and Quenton Jackson at the game, which was dubbed T.J. McConnell Night. McConnell also signed autographs and met with fans as the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Buffalo Bisons.
The offseason period is an excellent opportunity for incoming rookies to become familiar with their respective markets and communities. Jones and Peter had the chance to spend time with a couple of other players on the team and attend their first baseball game in Indianapolis.
Jones was a consensus second-team All-American last season as a senior at Marquette, averaging 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 34 games. He is one of two players in program history to score at least 2,000 career points (2,044).
The 38th pick logged four appearances with the Pacers in the NBA Summer League, averaging 13.5 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals. He finished off his stay with a 21-point, 11-rebound performance on July 17 in a win over the New York Knicks.
Jones signed a four-year, $8.7 million contract with the Pacers on July 8. The contract is guaranteed for the upcoming season, with a half guarantee in the second year.