Highlights
- Carlik Jones overcame a rare birth defect to become South Sudan’s basketball star, achieving a historic triple-double against Team USA.
- Despite going undrafted in 2021, Jones persevered through NBA stints and now shines for Partizan in the EuroLeague.
- Jones’s mother, Felicia Rosemond, a deputy chief probation officer, and father, Carl Jones, have been his steadfast supporters throughout his challenging journey.
The man who has received praise from the GOAT Lebron James, Carlik Jones’s journey to becoming South Sudan’s basketball sensation is nothing short of extraordinary.
Nothing Can Stop Him
Born on November 28, 1996, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jones defied the odds from the beginning.
As a toddler, doctors diagnosed Jones with craniosynostosis, a rare birth defect affecting his skull.
His parents, Carl Jones and Felicia Rosemond, were told he might never play contact sports. But young Carlik had other plans.
“He was definitely all boy at that age – he would wrestle his brother and jump everywhere,” recalls his mom, Felicia.
“As parents, you’re always concerned about them hitting their heads, but in our case we were even more nervous.”
Thankfully, Jones’s brain developed without complications, and at 4½, he got the green light to play sports. From that moment on, there was no stopping him.
Fast forward to 2024, and Jones is making headlines as the star point guard for South Sudan’s national basketball team.
In a recent exhibition game against the United States, he achieved a historic triple-double – the first player ever to do so against Team USA.
“It’s bigger than just us and bigger than basketball,” Jones says of representing South Sudan.
“We have a country we’re fighting for… to put our country on the map, it’s huge.”
A Difficult Journey
Jones’s rise to international stardom hasn’t been easy.
After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, he bounced around several teams, including stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets.
Now, at 26, he’s found his groove playing for Serbian powerhouse Partizan in the EuroLeague.
“Everybody’s route is different, everybody’s journey is different,” Jones reflects. “It took me a few years to understand it, but this is my life and I enjoy it.”
As South Sudan prepares for their Olympic debut in Paris, all eyes are on Jones.
His mom, who’s been working as a deputy chief probation officer at Hamilton County Juvenile Court for 24 years, couldn’t be prouder of her “Young One.”
With the Olympics just around the corner, NBA teams are taking notice.
Sources say there’s a brief window until July 25 for teams to pursue Jones before his Partizan Belgrade deal takes full effect.
Whether he stays in Europe or returns to the NBA, one thing’s for sure – Carlik Jones is putting South Sudan on the map, one incredible performance at a time.
“Stay in the gym, work hard, be humble – but also be hungry,” Jones says of his approach to the game.
This mindset has taken him from underdog to Olympic sensation, and there’s no telling how far it’ll take him next.
Just So You Know
- More than anything, Carlik Jones just hates to lose.
- Jones had no high-major scholarship offers out of high school.
- His older brother, Shaun, also used to play basketball and football.
Well researched acrticle.
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