Ah yes, the life of a professional basketball player.

Former Hornets swingman Joel Jones still may be far from the NBA, but his life as a pro player in Puerto Rico, living in an apartment right by a university and the beach, isn’t too shabby.

Jones is currently playing in the Puerto Rico professional league Super Liga 25 for the Humacao Grays, where he averages 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

“It’s real laidback and relaxing. I have a lot more freedom now,” Jones said. “Everyone recognizes you throughout the city. You’re a celebrity. “Who wouldn’t want that?”

Jones was close to playing on the Puerto Rican National Team, a team that defeated the United States in the Athens Olympics, but ultimately did not play. International Basketball newspapers and Web sites listed Jones as a question mark to make the team before the Olympics.

“My dad was hospitalized and I sprained my knee so I decided to go home. It was the best thing to do,” Jones said. “Wrong place, wrong time. Basically it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Puerto Rico’s success in the Olympics against America could still pay off for Jones though.

A new generation of athletes, led by Utah Jazz guard Carlos Arroyo, has given a new awareness to Puerto Rico Basketball that has given its players many NBA looks.

Unfortunately for Jones, the same knee injury that he says kept him from the Olympics, kept him from getting many looks from pro teams over the summer. He did workout with the Toronto Raptors at the end of summer, but was told he needed more experience.

“They told me to go out and get a resume,” Jones said.

He is working on earning a spot in the Continental Basketball Association and National Basketball Developmental League, the minor league arm of the NBA. His season in Puerto Rico with the Grays ends in December.

Jones averaged 12.3 points per game last year in his senior season with the Hornets.