NC State Guard Zam Jones Excited About Sophomore Season

NC State guard Zam Jones recently spoke with the media about her offseason and her expectations for the upcoming season.

How much pride do you take in the fact that coming from such a small town that you came from to being able to produce the way some of your biggest games last year were against really good teams? And coming from a small town like Bethel, just how much pride do you take in the fact that you've come this far? 

I take in so much pride. I just let my work speak for itself. Coming from a small town, not a lot of people believe in me, but I know I have my town behind me. Even if it's just a little town, they stood behind me ten toes, so I'm just glad I could produce for them. 

Saniya, Aziaha, and Madison were such huge contributors and leaders on the team. Now that they have gone pro, and y'all are turning another page, you know, what's the vibe around the team? Who's stepping up into those leadership roles? 

I feel like the vibe is the same. We're still NC State. We have a lot of people stepping up. It's just not one or two people. As a group, we all have to step up and fill their roles, so I feel like we all can step up this year, and we're going to be just as good as we were last year. 

Within the past couple weeks, you guys got a new teammate in Khamil. Have you met her? Have you practiced with her? What has kind of welcoming her to the team been like? 

We have not practiced with her yet. She has not came on campus yet, but I have talked to her. She is an amazing person. I have FaceTimed her multiple times. We have a great bond already, so we're just ready for her to get here and work together. 

Zam, last year, obviously, you went through the injury that you went through, and that was at the very beginning of the ACC season. How difficult was that, first of all, and how much did you learn after taking a step back and getting a chance to watch the team and then kind of getting back into your role once you got there? 

It definitely sucked. Coming my freshman year, getting hurt your freshman year is never easy, but I think I had a support system through the trainers, through my coaches, through my teammates, so I just pushed through it, watched what I watched. I feel like watching me on the bench, watching the game made me play better because I knew what I was looking for, what Coach Moore was looking for, so I feel like it just pushed me to do better, and I'm just coming back this year ready. 

And second question for you, after watching a player like Zoe last year take that leap in her sophomore season, I mean, how much does that kind of motivate you to make that same leap this upcoming year? 

It motivated me a lot. I was already thinking about, she got most improved next year, I mean, last year, so I'm trying to get it this year, trying to go back to back and stay the most improved player, so I look up to Zoe. She's a great player off and on the court, so I'm just ready to get what's mine. 

Yeah, at this time last year, you were the newbie. What is it like with the freshman guards and Samuels arriving? How have you kind of helped them adjust to, you know, a new environment? 

I feel like they adjust pretty well, Adelaide, Ky’She, and Q. I feel like all three of them adjusted well. I was a freshman last year, so just welcoming them to the family, we eased. The transition has been easy, so I love them and am ready to play for them this year. 

You mentioned Cadence just now. What does it say about this program and the coaching staff that makes other players like her and Khamil want to leave SEC team, UConn, to come here? 

I feel like we compete. Just because we're SEC doesn't mean we can't compete with SEC teams. I feel like we have a great coaching staff that believes in us and works hard, and I feel like the SEC is coming up, and NC State is here to stay.

Yeah, Zam, what kind of improvements do you feel like you've made in the offseason? Coaches say that the best thing about a freshman is they become a sophomore, right? Do you feel that's going to be for you as well? Do you think that fits what you're going to do this year? 

Yes, it definitely does. I have worked on my game, not just on the court but off the court. As a freshman, you come in, you know the coaches are hard on you. You've got a little attitude or whatever. I feel I've changed mentally and physically, so I'm just ready to get back on the court and play. 

You had a very storybook high school career, but what was the hardest adjustment when you got to NC State? 

I would say mental. I feel like it's all mental for me, and maybe a little physical. I never really lifted weights or did anything in the weight room, so just the competitive speed of college basketball. But at the end of the day, I feel like I adjusted well, and I'm just ready for my sophomore season. 

Yeah, Zam, I think there's a lot of people who are kind of penciling in, you know, you and Zoey to sort of be the starting back or, you know, taking those reins from Aziah and Sania. What is your kind of relationship and chemistry like with Zoey as her as a teammate over the past year? 

We have definitely grown. Last year, of course, we were teammates. We talked, but this year, I feel like we have a closer bond. I feel like as leaders, I have to step up as a leader, and she's looking for me to step up right behind her, so we have a great relationship. We have grown over the years, and we're just ready to step on the court and be the best duo.

Yeah, how has your relationship with Coach Moore evolved, from being that new freshman and now into a bigger role? 

We always have a love-hate relationship with Coach Moore. He's definitely a great guy, so I just told him this year that whatever he needs from me, that's what I'm going to give him, whether it's cheering on the bench, whether it's on the court, anything he wants from me this year, I'm giving it to him. 

We've talked about some of the transfers coming in, but what have you seen from the new freshman coming in with Ky’She and Adelaide, both, looking to share the backcourt with you this upcoming season? 

They both are great players. Ky'She, mid-range game, lefty, another Zaza coming. Adelaide has a great shot out of this world, so I'm just glad that they chose NC State, and I'm ready to play for them this year.