KJ MCDANIELS put together an impressive debut in TNT’s lopsided win over Blackwater on Wednesday in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
McDaniels scored 41 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in leading the KaTropa to a 135-107 win over the Elite in his first game in the PBA.
The 26-year-old has played mostly in the US, suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, and Brooklyn Nets in the NBA, and for the Rio Grand Valley Vipers, Grand Rapids Drive, and Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G-League.
The Clemson product said advice from former TNT import and former Rockets teammate Terrence Jones convinced him to take his act to the PBA.
“He advised that it was a good league to play in,” said McDaniels. “Terrence is a great player. I thought he will be over here when I was over here but he definitely said it was a great place to play.”

After Jones helped TNT reach the Commissioner’s Cup Finals, McDaniels doesn’t feel like he's under any pressure to duplicate the feat or do even better.
“You want to win as a competitor. That’s what I hope to do, just win the entire thing. We’re gonna play and have different adversity every night so we just have to come out here and play with each other, stay tougher, stay positive and learn from our mistakes,” said McDaniels.
McDaniels played down his impressive PBA debut as he put the emphasis on team play.
“It was a great game. It felt good being out there with my new teammates. I felt like we will just get better from here on out,” said McDaniels.
The Birmingham, Alabama native said playing with the KaTropa in the East Asia Super League Terrific 12 allowed him to get a grasp of how TNT does things before the Governors’ Cup campaign.
“I felt like that was a good confidence booster for me, the coaches as well, having confidence in my teammates and having confidence in me. I just have to keep finding ways to keep me better and make my teammates better and make an impact in the game,” McDaniels said.
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