Sports Spotlight: Kanye Jones, Windermere High basketball

In his two years at Windermere High, senior guard Kanye Jones has become one of the area’s most prolific scorers. This season alone, the College of Charleston commit has averaged 21 points and, most recently, scored the 1,000th point of his high school career.
 

When did you first get into basketball?

I’ve been playing basketball probably since I was around 5 — a little bit before then. I got into it really at my old house, when my parents bought me one of those little mini-hoops, and they put it out on the back porch. I would be out there all day.
 

What has kept you motivated to stay in the sport for so long?

I think it’s just competing. Basketball is where I can compete and where I can be myself on the court. Earlier, I tried soccer and baseball and wasn’t really into that, but basketball has been it for me.
 

Do you have a highlight moment that stands out to you?

I’ve pretty much enjoyed it all. If I had to choose one, it would probably be my 1,000-point ball right now, but pretty much I’ve enjoyed all my time at Windermere.
 

Going into that game against Apopka — where you scored 1,000 points — did you know how many points you needed to hit that mark?

I texted Coach Trey (Griseck) the day before, but I was just curious — “How many points am I away from 1,000?” I knew coming into the season — I couldn’t remember the number — but I knew I could get 1,000. I don’t usually keep track of how many points I have in a game, but the game when I scored 1,000 points, I knew I needed 10 points. Then after I got to 10, I lost count.
 

What was that moment like for you hitting the 1,000-point mark?

I felt blessed first off knowing not everybody scores 1,000 points in high school, and I felt relieved — in a sense — because all of the work that I’ve put in leading up to this point and that I’m going to put in is paying off.
 

What is the most challenging part about your position? The most fun part?

I’ve always been more of a scorer, so now I’m learning how to get teammates involved — it’s me knowing when to turn down a good shot and get a better shot. My favorite part would probably be scoring the ball. I like scoring, I like dropping it off to Sean (Stewart) so he can get a dunk — plays that get us going, so then we get momentum and start going on our runs.
 

Do you have a favorite player you enjoy watching?

I would say my favorite player would be Kevin Durant, just because the way he can do everything on the court — he can handle the ball, shoot, get to the basket, play without the ball, play with the ball and get’s to his spots really well.