Chris Jones obtains European passport, pursued by another EuroLeague club / News - Basketnews.com

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After a successful season in LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Chris Jones has become a hot commodity in European basketball.

Chris Jones

MIN:27.53PTS:13.1 (56.3%)REB:3.16As:3.61ST:1.45BL:0.1TO:1.94GM:31ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

Following the reports about Zalgiris Kaunas offering Jones a contract, at least one more club has joined the race for the player's signature. According to the Spanish outlet Encestando, Valencia Basket made an offer to join the team for the next year.

Jones' option is even more enticing for the Spanish team for one simple reason - a European passport. According to Encestando, Chris Jones has recently acquired an Armenian passport. BasketNews sources confirmed such information.

Jones is also being heavily recruited to play for the country's national team in the upcoming 2022 FIBA Basketball European Championship for Small Countries.

If Jones competes for Armenia, he would be considered a European player in the Spanish Liga Endesa, where the clubs can only sign two foreign players.

The American guard has been one of the main contributors to ASVEL's game this season. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for 14.7 PIR in the EuroLeague for this club.

Jones' stats in the French LNB league are even more impressive - 14 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for 16.2 PIR during the regular season and 15.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for 16.4 PIR during the playoffs.

According to previous reports, Mike Tobey, Louis Labeyrie, and Olivier Hanlan are set to leave Valencia after this year, while Rolands Smits is rumored to arrive from FC Barcelona.

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