The team, it’s for
PIC CREDIT: FIBA.Basketball
in South Sudan right now the team will begin their Olympic preparations in Rwanda, before moving on to London and finally Paris.
South Sudan’s head coach Royal Ivey is assistant coach for NBA side the Houston Rockets, while the squad is scattered all over the world, with players in Finland, China, Lebanon, Australia, Denmark, Puerto Rico, Canada and the US.
They face a huge task.
The Bright Stars have been drawn in a group with the US and will meet a squad featuring the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid.
Jok is friendly with several of the US panel and looking forward to testing himself against the best.
“We knew we weren’t gonna have anything handed to us and they put us in the toughest (right) bracket. But to be the best you gotta go through the best,” he says.
“It’s a great opportunity for us as a team and also as a country. So we’re going in there with nothing to lose, everything to gain.
“That’s the mindset we’re coming in with. Leaving everything on the floor.
“I know a few of them. When I was with the (Phoenix) Suns I was with ‘Book’, Devin Booker and then Bam Adebayo, I know Bam.
“Tyrese (Haliburton) played Iowa State when I went to Iowa State.
“So yeah, it’s gonna be fun, they’re gonna be talking, but it’s gonna be fun to play against them.”
Another player he knows well is Caitlin Clark.
The Iowa woman is currently one of the biggest names in US sports after breaking every record in the college game and recently joined Indiana Fever as number one pick in the WNBA draft. (right)
Clark has also reportedly signed a $28million (€26million) deal with Nike which would make her the highestpaid female basketball player of all time and Jok is delighted by her success. “We’re both from west Des Moines. She grew up where I grew up, right down the street,” says Jok.
Great
“I always knew she was gonna be great, but I never knew she would take basketball to this level.
“So it’s been fun following her since high school, since AAU days to college and now WNBA.
“She’s a superstar now you know, she’s a celebrity, but the one thing I like about her is she’s very humble.
“She never changed, she’s been the same person since she was in high school and college.
“She knows she’s the best player out there and she plays like it.
“And off the court she doesn’t let distractions get to her.
“That’s part of her being humble and staying on the ground, staying the same level the whole time.”
Jok heads to Ottawa next month for the start of the season in Canada with the BlackJacks and hopes to get five or six games under his belt before joining the South Sudan training camp in Rwanda on June 25.
“I think they want us to touch African soil before we go to the Olympics,” he says.
Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy, (below) scene of Ireland’s dramatic triumph over Italy at Euro 2016, hosts the group games of the Olympic basketball tournament. It then switches to the Bercy Arena in Paris for the final stages.
Watching
Jok’s mother and his siblings Dao Jok, JoJo and Alek will be watching, along with the rest of the world.
After playing several seasons in France with Cholet, he’s looking forward to showing his teammates around Paris and Lille.
And he’s working on French every day.
“Oh, it’s not bad. I actually have a French girlfriend, so she’s been trying to teach me,” he says, laughing.
“I know Lille, Paris, I know the places to go to eat. So hopefully take the team out to eat.
“It’s exciting, I’m looking forward to it.” his