KJ eyes NBA comeback

MANILA, Philippines — TNT import K. J. McDaniels heads for home in Alabama today after a PBA tour of duty that the former Clemson University star described as a pathway to get back to the NBA where he played for Philadelphia, Houston and Brooklyn over three seasons.

McDaniels, 26, averaged 35.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 45.8 minutes in 17 games as he led TNT to the Governors Cup semifinals with the KaTropa losing to Meralco in the best-of-five series that went the distance. “That’s my ultimate goal, to return to the NBA,” he said. “The PBA gave me the opportunity to develop different aspects of my game. For one, the ball was in my hands a lot. If I had a choice, I’d like to play for an NBA team from the south so I’m close to family. My little cousins look up to me and it would be awesome if they get a chance to see me play in the NBA again.”

Playing in the PBA once more is another option. “I would be thrilled to come back and have another go at it,” he said. “To the fans, I just want to say thank you for making me feel welcome with it being my first stint overseas.” Another option is to play for a national team as a naturalized citizen. “Someone mentioned the possibility of becoming a naturalized Filipino,” he said. McDaniels’ Sixers coach Brett Brown was recently signed to call the shots for Australia in the Tokyo Olympics and McDaniels said he’d consider playing for the Philippines or the Boomers if the offer comes.

Before flying over, McDaniels said he did his due diligence on the PBA. “I was contacted by coach Paul (Howard),” he said. “Coach Paul knows all about the PBA. Then, I got on the phone with T-Jones (former TNT import Terrence Jones) and (TNT assistant) coach Alton (Lister). I researched on the PBA so when I came in, I knew what to expect, the level of play, physicality, pressure on imports to win. I saw the video where T-Jones was clotheslined. I was prepared to go against a lot of highly-skilled players.”

McDaniels’ NBA experience came in handy in the PBA. “I played with James Harden who’s one of the best scorers ever,” said K. J. whose vertical leap was once measured to be 35.5 inches. “Just to be on the same floor as James made me better. I learned when to cut, when to drive, how to get open for a pass. At Philadelphia, I learned from a veteran Henry Sims who I found out played for Ginebra. He was an older guy and taught me things as a rookie. In the PBA, I learned a lot from A. D. (Allen Durham) in playing closer to the rim, using strength to play inside. Justin (Brownlee) is another quality import with an incredible overall game. He plays defense, hits the three, provides leadership. It was a challenge to play against A. D. and Brownlee. I remember we lost to Ginebra by three in the eliminations and I missed free throws that could’ve tied it up down the stretch.”

McDaniels said teammates R. R Pogoy, Jayson Castro and Troy Rosario are capable of breaking into the NBA. “They can play NBA summer league,” he said. “They play with heart, they’re skilled. If they stay focused, I can see them breaking through. Our two new additions Ray (Parks) and Mike (DiGregorio) are also capable. Mike moves without the ball very well and can knock down those corner threes. Ray’s a powerful guard, a good defender.”

McDaniels said he owes his development to his coaches from high school to the pros, including Kevin McHale, Mike D’Antoni, Brown, Kenny Anderson, Gary Ferguson, Donovan Broadnax, Earl Grant and Brad Brownell. “My dad played at South Alabama and I used to watch him play point guard in leagues like the YMCA but it was my mom who pushed me to play harder, to get better when I was a kid,” he said. “I started playing when I was five but it wasn’t until I was 15 in my second year of high school that I began to take basketball seriously.” Now that he’s heading home, McDaniels said he can’t wait to be reunited with his two-year-old son King.