Discipline, professionalism and studying the playbook: how Jenkins is getting up to speed

New Adelaide 36ers recruit John Jenkins is working double time to get up to speed with the team’s playbook so he can have a say in the side’s run to the playoffs, and says some simple advice from the coach has put him at ease.

Jenkins met his new teammates in Perth last week and played his first minutes in Sixers colours in the HoopsFest game against South East Melbourne on Sunday.

The 34-year-old had come straight from Romania, where he was playing in the top division and in good form, and he admits he is still getting over the jet lag and getting used to the time zone and climate.

With eight games until finals, Jenkins doesn’t have a lot of time to get to know how the side wants to play, but he says head coach Mike Wells gave him the simplest of advice to make him feel comfortable.

“Just be myself,” Jenkins told Adelaide media on Wednesday.

“It's my 14th year of playing, so I have played many different roles. Situations have all been different, but, you know, it's basketball at the end of the day, and I'm playing with a lot of high IQ guys that are really skilled, so it's easy.

“We've had a great two days of practice, the past two days and getting acclimated to the time change and also my teammates so I think for the most part, just playing basketball, my teammates encouraged me to be myself, and so that's what I'm gonna do.”

It helps that Jenkins is familiar with the NBL and has been following it for years, and that he steps into a side sitting top of the Hungry Jack’s NBL with a 19-5 record.

Renowned for his professionalism, the American has spent every spare minute since he signed for the Sixers studying the playbook, watching vision and speaking with coaches and teammates to make sure he plays his part.

“As soon as I signed I asked for the playbook so I could watch it on the plane, watch it while I'm getting dinner, like, watch it whenever,” Jenkins said.

“To me, it's no excuse. No matter how long I haven't been here to come in and be the one holding everybody back. I don't like that.

“I want to be able to come in right away and just make it seamless for everybody.

“The biggest thing is just getting the trust of your teammates early on, you know, so they trust you with the game situations and things that happen throughout the game.

“They're obviously in a winning team before I got here so I'm not trying to change the team at all. I'm just trying to fit in where I can and make things easier for Bryce (Cotton).”

He has never smoked nor drank alcohol and has a strict training regime that has served him well over 14 years as a professional.

But after 171 NBA games at various clubs and stints with Team USA and in other top leagues in Europe, Jenkins has learnt to keep the joy in his game and to enjoy time with his wife and three daughters.

“I've tried to just enjoy more than just be so hard on myself,” he explained.

“I think me playing with joy has been better for me. I’ve played better that way and it's my 14th year - I don't know how many years I have left, hopefully a long, long time so I'm just trying to experience every moment and just be in the moment.

“This is a lifestyle for me. This is not something that I feel like is annoying or something I don't like to do.

“Being disciplined and not drinking, not smoking, that stuff is just, to me, just normal.”

As for how many minutes he expects to play or how he’ll fit into the rotation, Jenkins has no expectation.

“I think it's situational, depending how the game is flowing,” he said.

“The thing about me, I'm ready for whatever role (coach Wells) wants me to be in. It doesn't matter to me.

“I don't have to be in a set role. It could be changing every night.

“My job is to come, be professional and do the right things.”

The Sixers take on New Zealand in Auckland on Friday evening from 5:00pm ACDT..