While Emmanuel students were arriving on campus in August to prepare for a new semester, senior, KJ Jones II was living out his greatest dream.
 
Coming off a basketball season where he led NCAA DII in points per game (26.2) and was 4^th overall in total points (762), Jones caught the eye of many, earning All-American honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D2-CAA. 
 
He also caught the attention of Portland Trailblazer star, Damian Lillard who hosts an exclusive, invite-only basketball camp each summer named Formula Zero, for high school and collegiate basketball players from across the country. This year, the camp was held from August 16^th-19^th in Phoenix, Arizona. 
 
20 collegiate basketball players from the top conferences in the country are invited to attend each year, and this year KJ Jones was one of them, giving him an opportunity to train against the best. 
 
"There were players top schools like Kansas, Virginia Tech, Connecticut, Texas A&M," Jones said. "I was the very first non-D1 invite and was the only Division II player in attendance."
 
At the camp, the athletes went through classroom sessions, skill work sessions, and competitive sessions where they played 4 or 4 or 5 on 5.  
 
"In the classroom, we learned about the formula and what it takes to maintain a professional career," KJ said. "In our skill-work sessions, we focused on ball handling, shooting, finishing, and other fundamentals."
 
What was his favorite part of the camp? 
 
"The classroom sessions," KJ said. "That is where I felt like I learned the most and the instructors and coaches were the most open and vulnerable."
 
At the camp, KJ learned a lot about himself as a player knows the experience will help him throughout the remainder of his career.
 
"I learned that working hard, being held accountable, and maintaining great character is what matters most," he said. "Building up and maintaining those habits will amount to a long-lasting career."
 
There was one piece of advice that Lillard gave the group that will stick with KJ. 
 
"He told us to always be truthful and authentic in who we are," he said. "He told us to always be genuine and treat everyone with respect no matter who it is. This will stick with me because it contributes to a level of professionalism that you need to be a not only respected player, but a respected person in the professional world."
 
And KJ Jones has the right formula.