Carlik Jones is one of the best guards in the EuroLeague.
With all due respect to the competition, he’ll tell you he believes he’s the best.
He’s the driving force behind a Partizan team that has exceeded expectations early in the season.
Yet there’s a sense that he isn’t getting the calls his quality and reputation in the EuroLeague might warrant. Partizan fans see it that way. So do neutral observers. And so, it turns out, does Jones himself.
After Partizan’s victory over Baskonia, it was one of the topics of conversation with the Black and Whites’ point guard.
As good-natured as ever, Jones spoke with a smile, without sounding overly critical. But he still got something off his chest.
“I don’t know, man. I understand that referees are human and they’re trying their best, but it’s tough. I’ve talked to my agent and looked into the stats of a lot of players around the league. I checked how many free throws they’re shooting compared to me. I think I’m one of the guys who attacks the basket the most, and some of those guys have 20, 30 or even more free-throw attempts than I do,” Jones said in the hallway of Belgrade Arena.
Jones vs. the Rest: A Look at the Numbers
Does Carlik Jones draw enough fouls when he attacks the basket? The numbers alone can’t settle the debate, but comparing Jones with other EuroLeague guards makes for interesting reading.
Jones has drawn relatively few fouls this season compared to guards who frequently attack the rim. Through Round 10 of the EuroLeague, the Partizan playmaker had drawn 39 fouls while attempting 88 two-point field goals.
By comparison, TJ Shorts had drawn 58 fouls on 103 two-point attempts, while Nadir Hifi had drawn 56 fouls on 70 attempts. Theo Maledon had drawn 49 fouls on 67 two-point attempts.
For every 100 two-point attempts, Jones draws roughly 44 fouls. That’s the lowest rate of the four, compared with 56 for Shorts, 73 for Maledon and 80 for Hifi.
None of this, of course, proves that Jones is getting a raw deal from the referees. Not every two-point attempt comes from a drive, and not every foul drawn occurs while attacking the rim.
Still, the numbers show that Jones draws significantly fewer fouls relative to his two-point attempts than the other guards mentioned. And the eye test tells a similar story: Jones could – and probably should – be getting to the line more often.
“I don’t know why that is. I’m not going to change my game. I’m going to keep being aggressive, keep putting pressure on the defense and attacking the basket. Hopefully, over time, I’ll start getting those calls that veterans get, the guys who have earned a certain level of respect. But all I can do is my job. Hopefully, things will change.”
Jones is averaging 13.8 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists so far this season, shooting 83.3 percent from the free-throw line (35-of-42).
“When I Do the Same Thing, It’s Almost Always a Foul”
The Partizan point guard also revealed that he regularly talks to referees during games, trying to draw their attention to contact that goes uncalled.
“I’m going to keep talking to the referees, keep pointing out that guys are hitting me and grabbing me. What’s crazy is that when I do the same thing to an opposing player, it’s almost always called a foul. I’m just trying to deal with it, and that’s all I can do.”
So what do the referees actually tell him when he complains about a missed call?
“Sometimes they tell me they didn’t see the contact because of the angle they were looking from. I might disagree with that, but sometimes they see it and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they call the foul, sometimes they don’t. That’s all I can say about it,” the South Sudan international concluded.
