Before his “Jones Family” squad took the championship game at the Converse Band of Ballers tourney in NYC earlier this week, we got up with Jim Jones to talk music, kicks and basketball…

Dime: There looks to be some tough teams out there today. What’s the strategy going in and do you see any teams that will be competition?
Jim Jones: We’re just gonna go hard out there man. We’ve been watching Pac Div play and their team’s looking kinda nice, but I’ve also been rooting them on cause we don’t get to see too many West Coast players out here in these New York streets. I know all the teams out here are gonna go hard, though, so it’s all water.

Dime: Who’d you bring out to ball with you today? Is this really The Jones Family?
Jones: Yeah it’s The Jones Family, I brought out all my family. They’re all my older and younger cousins.

Dime: I saw the older dude with grey hair getting buckets earlier.
Jones: (laughs) Yeah, that’s my older cousin. He was the one who actually showed me how to play basketball growing up.

Dime: Did you have any other basketball influences growing up?
Jones: Yeah, I would say John Starks. When I was coming up, he was definitely one of my favorite players.

Dime: So you’re a Knicks fan?
Jones: I’m a Knicks fan but I haven’t been able to watch them lately. When I was coming up I was an avid follower but I stay too busy to be one now. To tell you the truth, I only watch sports when the NBA playoffs, Super Bowl, and all the championship games come around.

Dime: You have any current favorite NBA players?
Jones: I definitely fucks wit Kobe. Tell Queen LeBron to holla at me.

Dime: OK, so I take it you’re not a fan of LeBron.
Jones: Queen LeBron? LeBron is just a girl! Man, he’s just a girl-boy, he needs to get his weight up and get a championship first.

Dime: Fair enough. Would you compare yourself to Kobe on the court? Do you have any go to moves like Kobe?
Jones: Nah, I wouldn’t compare myself to Kobe. My move is the crossover to the spin move, though, that’s how I got those easy layups earlier.

Dime: If not Kobe, then whom would you name the Jim Jones of the NBA?
Jones: Who’s the Jim Jones of the NBA? I really don’t know all the good sports players like that anymore. I really only know the few that are still around from when I was liking them and the ones that you can’t get away from due to the publicity, so I’m not the best fanatic to tell you names off the top. But I like my man Delonte West.

Dime: Delonte West? He’s been getting some funny publicity with his new freestyles on YouTube — you need to sign him.
Jones: (laughs) I haven’t heard those freestyles yet, but I like his attitude on the court. He gets things done.

Dime: I know you got a mean kick game — what are some of your favorite kicks?
Jones: Of course I love a good pair of Nikes, a pair of some Air Force 1’s is a mandate. I always got some crispy all white-on-white Air Force 1’s with me. You know I love my Jordans in any flavor that I can get. I’m in there with all sorts of kicks, though, I’ll mess with the Nike Boots, the Shox, I love a nice pair of Nike Shox.

Dime: How are these new Converses Weapon Evos?
Jones: These are nice. They’re really comfy and very good to wear for the ball court. I actually like Converse’s originals though, the Chuck Taylors, to rock for the street look.

Dime: Speaking of street, when are we going to see a Team Jim Jones out at Rucker Park for the EBC?
Jones: (laughs) Next year man, next summer when I get some more time so I can really focus on that.

Dime: I heard you’re opening up a new store.
Jones: Yeah, we’re still in the midst of putting all of that together but it’ll be out soon enough.

Dime: Can you give out any details? Name? Cities?
Jones: No name yet. We’re still in the creative process for that but it’ll have a nice mix of everything as far as the clothing lines. And it’ll open in New York first and then we’ll take it from there but be on the look for that.

Dime: What’s going on with you in the music game? You find any time to hit the studio?
Jones: Always. I’m working on my next album right now, it’s going to be P.O.M.E. Part 2.

Dime: There’s a bunch of good new artists out here. You’ve already remixed Asher Roth’s “I Love College.” Do you see any collaborations with any of these artists?
Jones: Yeah, I heard a hard knocking beat playing earlier and asked DJ Cipha (Sounds) who it was and he said it was Pac Div. I might have to hop on that beat and let New York know what that’s about.

Dime: Are you still in the process of that collaboration CD with DJ Webstar?
Jones: We were, but we switched it for now. I’m actually going to be the Executive Producer for the CD that he’s putting out. I’m going to let him do his thing and I’ll jump on 5 or 6 tracks and get it poppin’.

Dime: Where’s your boy Juelz Santana at? He couldn’t make it out to play some ball?
Jones: I don’t know, Juelz is too lazy. He don’t wake up that early and he’s not really a ballplayer like that anyways. He don’t get out on the courts that much but he got a decent jump shot but his brother’s real good at basketball.

Dime: Any last words?
Jones: You already know, just stay splashing and stay fresh! I’m out! JONES!