NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Basketball can be more than just a game. For some, being part of a team can create lifelong friendships and memories. For others, it can forge bonds among family. Norfolk State head coach and his son, Justin, share that bond.
A basketball found its way into Justin Jones's hand when he was eight years old. He enjoyed the sport and it took off from there.
"When I turned nine I started taking it more [seriously]," Justin noted. "I got on an AAU team and it's just been like that since."
His gravitation towards the game really wasn't a surprise, seeing that his father is the head coach at Norfolk State. The head Spartan did not push Justin to pursue the sport, but certainly wasn't upset when he chose the basketball path.
"I let him decide when he wanted to play basketball instead of forcing him to play basketball," Jones noted. "I just see from experience that once a kid really likes it, they're going to probably do better at it than if you force them to do it."
Now Justin is a freshman combo guard at Atlantic Shores with his father tipping off his tenth year leading Norfolk State. It's a sport that both love and that has created a bond between them.
"It's very important to me," Justin said. "I feel like basketball made us [closer] basically, because he works on it and I'm now playing it."
"We train and things like that, so we kind of build that father-son relationship even through that," added the elder Jones. "We do spend a lot of time together when it comes to basketball."
With that, the younger Jones has quite the resource and avenue for advice. Robert notes that he will offer tips and be available for any questions his son may have about the game, noting that he would be doing Justin a disservice by not speaking up and using his experience to help.
"Work ethic, school, how school can carry onto the court, basically and what it takes to be a Division I player," Justin said of key advice his father has given him.
"I don't want to take it for granted that he actually wants to play basketball," Robert added. "I try to give him as much knowledge as I can and then I also let him formulate his own questions to ask me and I try to give him the best answers I can from a father's point of view and coach's point of view."
Of course, juggling being a Division I basketball coach and a dad is no easy task. Jones said that he will miss Justin's first four varsity basketball games due to Norfolk State's schedule, but he and his son both understand that it comes with the job and he will make every game that he possibly can.
"From a dad's point of view, your son is playing varsity as a freshman, which is a milestone," Jones pointed out. "You want to be there to watch those first couple games, especially the first game."
When he can be in the stands, Justin appreciates the cheers and tips. Well, most of the time.
"Yeah, except when I make him angry, but besides that, yeah," laughed Justin.
"I try not to show it too much on the sidelines, except if he gets me really upset," his father also chuckled. "Even during the game, he might look at me for a piece of advice and I'll try to give him a piece of advice."
Justin has a four year high school career ahead of him, but has a goal of eventually playing basketball professionally. Between that will be college and when it comes to possibly suiting up for his dad and the Spartans, neither father nor son have closed the door on that possibility.
"People ask me 'would you ever play for your dad?,'" Justin said. "Maybe, because I see what he does to his players, how hard he coaches them."
"If we can keep our father-son relationship, which is very important to me, and he still is now a player I coach, then I'm all for it," Robert said. "Let's do it."
Robert and Norfolk State tip off the season on Monday against Virginia University of Lynchburg. Justin and the Seahawks begin their campaign on November 18 at Annapolis Area Christian School.
