Nashville Predators’ defenseman Seth Jones knew at a young age he wanted to pursue high-level hockey.

Jones, the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, grew up around basketball, but hockey became his passion. And a stint at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program helped him reach the next level.

“I grew up wanting to play for the U.S. National Program,” Jones said. “That was it. When I was 12, I knew I wanted to play there. When I was 16, I did all I could to make it happen, and I was very fortunate to get a spot on the team.”

Jones’ experience at the NTDP led to international success and a highly decorated stint representing the U.S. in several youth and junior tournaments.

“It has helped me completely through my development,” Jones said. “Those two years at the U.S. program … I’ve been blessed with a lot of experience at the international tournaments, and I’ve been on a lot of great teams with a lot of great coaches and players and I’ve been fortunate enough to win a few gold medals.”

Jones has appeared in five international tournaments, collecting three gold medals and a silver. He captained Team USA to a gold medal during the 2012 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship and served as an alternate when the U.S. captured the gold medal during the 2013 World Junior Championships.

“Anytime you play for your country, it’s awesome,” Jones said. “International tournaments are a lot of fun, and USA Hockey has been a huge part of my career.”

In 2012, Jones captained the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team as a 17-year-old, helping Team USA go undefeated while allowing just four goals in six games. He finished with three goals and eight points in six games and was selected as one of the team’s top players in the tournament.

“We pretty much powered our way through the tournament,” Jones said. “We had a great team, from the forwards to the goalie, and it seemed like we couldn’t be beat. It was a special one for me.”

He famously proclaimed the Americans as the best team in the 2013 World Junior Championship, and though Canada was heavily favored, Jones was right. The U.S. opened the tournament with a 1-2 record, in danger of missing the medal round, but rallied to win the next four games, including one against the Canadians followed by Sweden in the gold-medal game to take the top spot as Jones finished with a plus-8 rating.

“As a team, that gold medal was huge,” Jones said. “It was a lockout year, all the NHL players were playing and Canada had a great team. It was just a great year to be part of a winning team.”

The Colorado Avalanche helped grow Jones’ passion for the game.

Jones lived in Denver when his father played for the NBA’s Nuggets and was in attendance during Game 7 in 2001 when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, famously capping defenseman Ray Bourque’s Hall of Fame career with a championship.

“That was probably the main point in my career where I started to fall in love with the game,” Jones said. “It was unbelievable. They were stacked and really fun to watch. It was just a great year for the city, and I definitely think it pushed my love for the game even more.”

Now the 20-year-old Jones is a rising star in Nashville, after having been selected by the Predators as the No. 4 overall pick in 2013. He has helped Nashville go from missing the playoffs a year ago to having the best record in the Western Conference through 63 games.

“Obviously, the more games you play, the more comfortable you’ll be with your surroundings,” Jones said. “You go through peaks and valleys, and this year hasn’t been perfect, but I feel a lot more comfortable.”

Success at a young age with USA Hockey certainly played a part.

“I’ve been blessed to be around great players,” Jones said. “You can’t win championships by yourself. We’ve had great teams, great coaches and great goaltending, and that’s what it comes down to.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.