Jalen Wilson didn’t miss the irony.
The Nets wing is only one year into his NBA career, but he’s already been to a camp in Brooklyn and speaking to kids at local schools.
It seems like only yesterday that Wilson himself was attending camps like this.
But now, the 23-year-old is part of a young roster for the rebuilding Nets.
Overnight, or rather since the team began its rebuild with the Mikal Bridges trade, Wilson found himself with seven teammates who were actually younger than him.
He burst out laughing when that was pointed out to him.
Now there is a responsibility, but more importantly, an opportunity.
“Absolutely,” Wilson told the Post. “I think we all knew going into summer league that all of our young guys had a chance to actually play this year, so I’m just going to take every day I’m given and every opportunity I’m given as a blessing and take it all in.”
“You start with summer league, and now it’s summer, you go to training camp and stuff like that. It’s just about taking advantage of the opportunity. All a kid in the NBA wants is an opportunity to play and a chance to show what he can do.”
Wilson was given a chance to shine in Las Vegas last month and was named Summer League MVP after averaging 21.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games.
Wilson, a second-round draft pick out of Kansas last year, has never lacked confidence.
But his performance in Las Vegas has only boosted his confidence in trying to earn a spot in the Nets’ rotation.
“I think it’s good to aim to achieve anything in life,” Wilson says, “and once you achieve it, you just set a new goal.”
“You can’t be satisfied with where you are. That’s where I am right now. I’m just looking to achieve more, achieve more. Now that I’m back in town, I have the opportunity to go to the gym every day and get better, so when the time comes, I’ll know I’m ready.”
Shooting is the key word.
Despite being the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Wilson was selected 51st overall by the Nets in the 2023 draft, largely due to doubts about his lack of 3-point shooting.
Wilson shot just 31.6 percent from three-point range in college, just 27.5 percent as a rookie with Long Island in the G League and 32.4 percent in the NBA.
But he did have an impressive 3-point shooting percentage of 55.0% in five games with Las Vegas.
“I think the biggest thing is practice. If you don’t go to the gym, you’re not going to get better,” Wilson said. “If you’re going to miss, you want to make good misses. So it’s all long shots, right? I think short shots are a no-no. But like I said before, I think it’s important to have confidence in your shot. If you’re shooting off a screen or you get a pass and you know in your head it’s going to go in, that’s important.”
“And that confidence comes through practice. It comes through practice and seeing it go in a game. I feel like every time you make a 3-pointer in a game, every player gets that momentum. That’s what you want to feel. So you’ve got to work for it. And I think practice is the most important thing. Whether you’re shooting well in practice or not, you’ve just got to keep working and keep practicing.”
The Nets’ preseason schedule has been announced.
After opening training camp in Brooklyn, the team will finish up in Southern California before traveling to San Diego to face the Clippers on Oct. 8. They’ll return home to host the Wizards on Oct. 14, then play in Philadelphia two days later before wrapping up the preseason at home against the Raptors on Oct. 18.
