Jon Elmore continuing to fight for an NBA roster spot in the G-League

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – There have been five West Virginia natives that have played a game in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2010. However, none of those players are from Charleston. The last time a Charleston native played in the NBA was 60 years ago.

Jon Elmore, former George Washington and Marshall star, is looking to cement his name amongst other West Virginia and Charleston natives to play in the NBA. Elmore is now back competing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in South Dakota after spending the last few years overseas.

“I am on cloud nine right now,” Elmore said. “I spent the last three seasons abroad in Europe playing. It was a great experience because I was getting paid to play basketball, which was always a dream of mine, but the downside was my family could not come to see me play or watch. I did not get to see them for ten months out of the year.”

His pro career kicked off in Italy, where he played for two clubs. During his three years in Europe, he would eventually make other stops in Greece, Hungary, and Lituania.

Elmore got a call to work out with the Miami Heat organization last summer. The Heat was so impressed with the Charleston native that they worked out a deal to put him on their G-League team in South Dakota.

He saw his time overseas as a boost in helping him reach his ultimate goal, a spot in the NBA. Elmore was a guest on the Thursday edition of the Kanawha Valley Sports Report.

“It was a heck of an experience playing against the best international players in the world,” Elmore stated. “Many people do not understand how good the European players are. Living there, traveling, and eating Italian cuisine was a great experience, but I am glad to be back in the states.”

Elmore has now played 25 games for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging eight points and four assists. He is shooting 38 percent from the field and 37 percent from the long distance.

“The G-League is tough and interesting because every game with every player is fighting for a spot, call up, or audition/tryout,” Elmore said. “That is where it gets tricky. That is what I have found in my short time here. The best teams play together. I’ll be it, we are still auditioning for the next level, but you are playing the system with guys that have your back. Some teams struggle with that.

“Everybody has individual goals, but we are lucky everyone has those goals, but we have team goals in mind. It makes the game fun.”

Elmore spent his collegiate career in Huntington playing for the Marshall Thundering Herd under Dan D’Antoni. Elmore finished his college career as Conference USA’s and Marshall’s all-time scoring and assist leader.

He believes people would see a completely different player now than he did in Huntington.

“I have gotten better all-around,” Elmore said. “I watched some film from one of my Marshall games, and I said, ‘holy cow. What was I doing?’ That is part of getting older and more time spent in the gym working on my body physically and mentally. That is what you see in the NBA. It is simply sticking to getting one percent better each day.”

Staying on the course remains Elmore’s game plan to get to where he wants to be.

“I think continuing to work will help,” Elmore noted. “I have shown glimpses so far this season that I can play at the next level. It is a matter of staying consistent and showing others I can do that. Everybody has a different journey. I know at the end of the day that I gave it my all. I am betting on myself to see what happens.”

Along with his professional career, Elmore has participated in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) with Herd That in the last few years. Questions are starting to linger about whether Herd That will return. However, Elmore is not ruling anything out.

“The management is still talking about it,” Elmore stated. “Guys are starting to get older and do different things. I know Ot [Elmore; his brother] is in law school now. Ryan Taylor is coaching at Marshall. Stevie Browning has his business that is blowing up. Who knows?

“I would like to return, especially playing for a million dollars with your best friends in the summer. Herd That is not ruled out.”

Elmore and the Skyforce hope to make a late push for the G-League playoffs with 22 regular season games remaining. For more information about Skyforce, click here.