Tyus Robert Jones Sr. (born May 10, 1996) is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA). He previously played for his hometown team the
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
for 4 seasons before signing with the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
in the 2019 offseason. He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
in his freshman season as part of the
2014–15 National Championship team. He was ranked among the top 10 players in the national high school class of 2014 by
Rivals.com,
Scout.com and
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. He was a
Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class 4A state champion, three-time Minnesota
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
Boys Basketball Player of the Year and three-time Minnesota Boys Basketball
Gatorade Player of the Year
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, boys' football, boys' ...
for
Apple Valley High School Apple Valley High School is the name of two high schools in the United States:
*Apple Valley High School (California)
*Apple Valley High School (Minnesota)
Apple Valley High School (AVHS) is a public four-year high school in the U.S. city of Ap ...
. He played in the
2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game
The 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game was an All-star basketball game that was played on April 2, 2014 at the United Center in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bulls. It was the 37th annual McDonald's All-American Game for high school boys. Th ...
, 2014
Jordan Brand Classic
The Jordan Brand Classic is a high school All-Star basketball game played annually in April. The game's rosters feature the best and most highly recruited high school boys in the senior class including alumns like Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Bl ...
and the 2014
Nike Hoop Summit
The Nike Hoop Summit is an international men's basketball all-star game sponsored by Nike, held once a year since 1995, except from 2001–2003, which features the USA Basketball Men's Junior Select Team against a World Select Team of international ...
. He won the skills competition at the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game and posted the only
double-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
in the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic.
He committed to the
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...
men's basketball team as a package with
Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Obika Okafor (pronounced ; born December 15, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League. He played his freshman season of college basketball for the 2014–15 ...
. He was a 2014 ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' second team All-USA Boys Basketball Team selection. At Duke, he was an All-ACC third team and All-ACC Freshman first team selection. He earned
NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, men's and NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, women's Division I (NCAA), Division I basketball championships (the "F ...
during Duke's victory in the
championship game of the
2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The 2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The 77th edition of the tournament began on March ...
. Subsequently, he announced he would enter the
2015 NBA draft. He was selected with the 24th overall pick by the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
and traded to the
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
. With Minnesota he went on to set the NBA single-season assist to turnover ratio record (6.96). In leading the league for a fourth year in a row for the
2021-22 Memphis Grizzlies, he broke his own assist to turnover single-season record (7.04).
High school career
Jones earned the role as a varsity starter for Eastview High School as an eighth grader for the 2009–10 season.
[ That year, he averaged 16.8 ]points
Point or points may refer to:
Places
* Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
* Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States
* Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
* Points ...
per game and 8.1 assists per game, starting every game for a team that went 20–8. That season he received his first recruiting letter (at age 13) from USC
USC most often refers to:
* University of South Carolina, a public research university
** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses
** South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program
* University of ...
.
Freshman season
As a freshman, he received his first scholarship offer from Iowa
Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...
.[ That season, he averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game in 16 games, after missing 7 weeks due to a lacerated kidney.][ Following his freshman season, he was invited to attend separate skills camps hosted by ]LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
and Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and “The Point God”, is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Paul is widely regarded as one o ...
.[ However, he was also invited by ]USA Basketball
USA Basketball (USAB) is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olymp ...
to the United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers (OPTCs) are two campuses created by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Sprin ...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
to be one of 27 athletes try out for the 12-man FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship
The FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship is the Americas basketball championship for players under 16 years that take place every two years among national teams of the FIBA Americas zone. The event started in 2009. The top four finishers qualify ...
team, which he eventually was selected to. Team USA won the tournament. By the time he attended the July 2011 Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...
(AAU) Peach Jam tournament he already had offers from Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
and Baylor.[ In the days after the four-day tournament that was attended by leading coaches such as Thad Matta, Tom Izzo, ]Jim Boeheim
James Arthur Boeheim Jr. ( ; born November 17, 1944) is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach of the Syracuse Orange men's team of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Boeheim has guided the Orange to ten Big East Conference ...
, Roy Williams, John Calipari
John Vincent Calipari (born February 10, 1959) is an American basketball coach. Since 2009, he has been the head coach of the University of Kentucky men's team, with whom he won the NCAA Championship in 2012. He has been named Naismith College ...
, Josh Pastner, Bill Self
Billy Eugene Self Jr. (born December 27, 1962) is an American basketball coach. He is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, a position he has held since 2003. During his 19 seasons as head coach, he has led the Jayhawks to ...
, Sean Miller
Sean Edward Miller (born November 17, 1968) is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as head coach of the Xavier Musketeers. He previously was in that position from 2004 to 2009, after which he took the head coach position f ...
and Rick Pitino
Richard Andrew Pitino (born September 18, 1952) is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach for Iona College. He was also the head coach of Greece's senior national team. He has been the head coach of several teams in NCAA ...
, he received offers from Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
, Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
, Marquette, Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
and Iowa State
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the ...
.[
]
Sophomore season
As a sophomore, he was a unanimous selection as the 2012 Minnesota Associated Press Player of the Year for high school boys basketball and was named to the 2012 Associated Press All-state team along with Siyani Chambers, Joey King, Tyler Vaughan and Johnny Woodard. Jones' Apple Valley team was eliminated in the MSHSL Class 4A, Section 3 final by Eastview High School
Eastview High School is a comprehensive and college preparatory public high school in Apple Valley, Minnesota, United States. Established in 1997, Eastview is the newest of the four high schools serving Independent School District 196. ''Newsweek' ...
.[ Jones averaged 28 points and 8 assists in 31 minutes per game. He earned the 2012 Minnesota Boys Basketball ]Gatorade Player of the Year
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, boys' football, boys' ...
. He was the 2012 ''Star Tribune
The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
'' Metro Player of the Year in boys' basketball as well as the ''Pioneer Press
The Pioneer Press publishes 32 local newspapers in the Chicago area. It is a division of Tribune Publishing, and is based in Chicago.
The community newspapers are the main source of local news in Illinois communities such as Winnetka, Highland ...
boys basketball player of the year. By the end of his sophomore season, he had an offer from Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...
to go along with his earlier offers from Minnesota, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Providence, Arizona, Baylor and Marquette.[ Following the season, Jones again played for Team USA at the ]2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship
The 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship (Lithuanian: 2012 m. FIBA iki 17 metų pasaulio čempionatas) was the 2nd edition of the FIBA Under-17 World Championship, the biennial international men's youth basketball championship contested by the U ...
in Kaunas
Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Traka ...
, Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
from June 29 – July 8, 2012. The team went undefeated in 8 games.
Junior season
Jones entered his 2012–13 junior season as the national class of 2014's top ranked basketball player according to ESPN. ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
'' columnist Frank Burlison listed him second to Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Obika Okafor (pronounced ; born December 15, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League. He played his freshman season of college basketball for the 2014–15 ...
on August 16, 2012. On September 11, when Okafor was named a monthly blogger for ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' High School Sports, he noted that he and Jones wanted to attend a Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University (MSU) in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. The Spartans are members of the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State claims ...
game together. Jones was one of 10 ''USA Today'' preseason All-USA selections (along with Aaron Gordon, Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Kasey Hill
Kasey Hill (born December 3, 1993) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Science City Jena of the German ProA. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators.
Early life
Hill was raised by Jeff and Jennie Simmo ...
, Okafor, Jabari Parker
Jabari Ali Parker (born March 15, 1995) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the second overall pick in th ...
, Julius Randle
Julius Deion Randle (born November 29, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In his second season with the Knicks in 2020–21, he was a first-time NBA All-Star ...
, Noah Vonleh, Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Christian Wiggins (born February 23, 1995) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the List of first overall NBA draft picks, first ov ...
). At the January 5, 2013, Timberwolves Shootout at the Target Center
Target Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Minneapolis that opened in 1990. It hosts major family shows, concerts, sporting events, graduations and private events. Target Corporation, founded and headquartered in Minneapolis since 1902, ...
, Jones led Apple Valley on a 31–9 run to overcome an 11-point deficit with 9 minutes and 19 seconds remaining against Rashad Vaughn
Rashad DeAndre Vaughn (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
High school career
For the first three years of hi ...
and Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Robbinsdale Cooper High School is a 4-year public high school in New Hope, Minnesota, a northwest suburb of Minneapolis, United States. Cooper, as it is informally known, became an IB World School in July 1998, and now offers the IB Middle Years ...
. The head-to-head matchup of class of 2014 guards Jones and Vaughn was described as "arguably the best individual-to-individual matchup in Minnesota high school basketball history" by the ''Star Tribune
The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
''. Two weeks before the matchup of ESPN 100 top 10 high school players, NBA.com
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
had anticipated the matchup with a feature story. Following his junior season, he was co-winner of the Minnesota Associated Press Player of the Year award for high school boys basketball, with DeLaSalle fellow junior Reid Travis
Reid Travis (born November 25, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Shimane Susanoo Magic of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He began his college career with the Stanford Cardinal, where h ...
. Jones led Apple Valley to the MSHSL Class 4A championship, while Travis led DeLaSalle to the 3A championship.[ They were joined on the Associated Press All-State team by Anders Broman, Rashad Vaughn and Graham Woodward.][ Jones earned the 2013 Minnesota Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year and the ''Pioneer Press'' player of the year.] However, Travis was the 2013 ''Star Tribune
The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
'' Metro Player of the Year in boys' basketball. Following the season, Jones was selected by HighSchoolHardwood.com as one of two juniors (along with Okafor) on its first or second five selections of its 2012-13 High School Hardwood All-American teams. Stanley Johnson was the only other junior on the 20-man All-American First Team.
On March 9 Jones listed his final seven schools: Baylor, Duke, Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
, Kansas
Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...
, Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State. Jones had unofficially visited all seven of these schools before his junior season ended.[ In late April 2013, Okafor's father believed it was very possible that Okafor and Jones would matriculate together as a package.][ By late April, there were rumors that ]Cliff Alexander
Cliff Alexander (born November 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Sagesse Club of the Lebanese Basketball League, he last played for Suwon KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League. He completed his freshman season ...
and Justise Winslow
Justise Jon Winslow (born March 26, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, with whom he won the 201 ...
would attend whatever school Jones and Okafor attended.
Senior season
On May 30, Okafor cut his list of schools to eight: Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...
, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan State and Ohio State, which overlapped with Jones in six schools. Although Alexander was ranked as the fifth best player in the class of 2014 by Rivals.com and had offers from four of the six schools common to both by the beginning of June, he said the chances of him matriculating with Jones and Okafor was slim. As the summer evaluation period continued, the unique nature of the possibility of Okafor and Jones, who are not related and not teammates, going to college as a package continued to get a lot of press. Jones was co-MVP for the 2013 Under Armour Elite 24 All-star game's winning team. On August 13, Jones announced that he would take official visits to four schools Baylor August 30 – September 1; Kentucky September 27–29; Kansas October 18–20; and Duke October 25–27. Notably, Duke, which is the favorite according to ''Star Tribune'' writer Amelia Rayno, is scheduled last. On August 14, Jones confirmed that he might make a fifth official visit (the maximum allowed by the NCAA) to Minnesota, although they remained an unlikely underdog. Okafor visited Baylor on August 29 with Jones as the two were ranked 1–2 in the Rivals.com class of 2014 rankings. One of the reasons Baylor was a serious contender is that Jared Nuness, a member of the Baylor basketball staff, is Jones' cousin.
On September 4, 2013, Rivals.com updated their ranking with Jones slipping from 2nd to 5th (behind Emmanuel Mudiay, Johnson and Alexander) and the top point guard position to second (behind Mudiay). Rivals clarified that Okafor and Jones, who are considered a package deal, had visited Baylor together and would visit both Kansas and Duke together, but that they would visit Kentucky separately.[ On September 13, class of 2014 point guard ]Tyler Ulis
Tyler Ulis (born January 5, 1996) is an American professional basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats of the SEC. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. At Kentucky in 2015, he led his team in a ...
committed to Kentucky. Subsequently, Jones canceled his September 27–29 visit to Kentucky. As Okafor and Jones visited Kansas and Duke together during the last two weekends of October, those two schools were considered the favorites for the services of both. At Kansas, head coach Bill Self
Billy Eugene Self Jr. (born December 27, 1962) is an American basketball coach. He is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, a position he has held since 2003. During his 19 seasons as head coach, he has led the Jayhawks to ...
scheduled a second open practice for the weekend of the Okafor/Jones visit. ESPN.com's number 14 overall prospect Winslow attended Duke for an official visit the same weekend that Okafor and Jones did. At the beginning of October, rumors began that Jones and Okafor would meet in a nationally televised game on December 12 that could be the first regular season high school basketball game ever broadcast on ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
from Minnesota. On November 15, ESPN announced the high school basketball broadcast schedule for its family of networks and the rumors were verified. On November 2, Jones reduced his list to Baylor, Kansas and Duke and was still committed to joint matriculation with Okafor.
On November 7 Jones was ranked fifth behind points leader Mudiay, Alexander, Okafor and Stanley Johnson in the Mr. Basketball USA
Mr. Basketball USA, formerly known as the ''ESPN RISE'' National Player of the Year and EA SPORTS National Player of the Year, is an award presented to the United States boys' high school basketball national player of the year by Ballislife.com. ...
preseason tracker. He had the most points of all players without any first place votes. The preseason points leader has gone on to win the award in four of the prior five years. On November 11, Jones and Okafor tweeted simultaneously that they would make simultaneous verbal commitments on November 15 from their local high schools. His verbal commitment announcement was scheduled on the same date as Alexander and Stanley Johnson. According to ESPN, all four were among the top 10 in the national class (Okafor #1, Alexander #3, Jones #4 and Johnson #9). On the eve of their announcement, Duke was the heavy favorite to land Jones and Okafor. He made his verbal commitment on ESPNU
ESPNU is an American multinational digital cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and the He ...
to Duke basketball on November 15. Prior to his senior season, ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' named him to its 10-man preseason All-USA team along with Alexander, Stanley Johnson, Trey Lyles
Trey Anthony Lyles (born November 5, 1995) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Utah Jazz following his freshman season at the University of Kent ...
, Mudiay, Malik Newman
Malik Tidderious Newman (born February 21, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Avtodor Saratov of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. He attended Callaway High School in Jackson, Miss ...
, Okafor, Kelly Oubre
Kelly Paul Oubre Jr. (born December 9, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Oubre played one season of college basketball for the University of Kansas befor ...
, D'Angelo Russell, and Myles Turner
Myles Christian Turner (born March 24, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season for the Texas Longhorns before declaring for the 2015 NBA draf ...
. On November 21, Winslow committed to Duke, giving them the number one recruiting class in the nation with Jones, Okafor, Winslow and Grayson Allen all committed.
On December 12, Apple Valley had a 5–0 record (including victories over state powerhouses DeLaSalle—with a sidelined Reid Travis
Reid Travis (born November 25, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Shimane Susanoo Magic of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He began his college career with the Stanford Cardinal, where h ...
—and Hopkins
Hopkins is an English, Welsh and Irish patronymic surname. The English name means "son of Hob". ''Hob'' was a diminutive of ''Robert'', itself deriving from the Germanic warrior name ''Hrod-berht'', translated as "renowned-fame". The Robert spe ...
) and national rankings of 41 by ''USA Today'' and 16 by MaxPreps
MaxPreps is an American website that specializes in coverage of American high school sports. The site is owned by Paramount Global and is a division of CBS Sports. Founded on August 1, 2002, the company has covered up to 29 sports, including b ...
, while Whitney Young entered the game 1–1 with a 34 ranking. That day, in front of Mike Krzyzewski
Michael William Krzyzewski ( ; born February 13, 1947), nicknamed "Coach K", is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Duke University from 1980 to 2022, during which he led the Blue Devils to five nati ...
and ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%).
ESPN2 was initially fo ...
's national audience, Okafor's Whitney Young beat Jones' Apple Valley 80–70. Okafor had 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Jones had 29 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. On January 4 in the Timberwolves Shootout at the Target Center
Target Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Minneapolis that opened in 1990. It hosts major family shows, concerts, sporting events, graduations and private events. Target Corporation, founded and headquartered in Minneapolis since 1902, ...
, Jones led Apple Valley over the Kansas defending Class 6A champion Blue Valley High School
Blue Valley High School is a 9-12 public high school in Overland Park, Kansas, United States that was established in 1969. It is operated by Blue Valley USD 229.
Academics
In 1988, and again in 2012, Blue Valley High School was selected as a Bl ...
who was ranked number 18 by ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' at the time. On March 6, 2014, Defending state champion Apple Valley lost to Cretin-Derham Hall High School
Cretin-Derham Hall High School (CDH) is a private, co-educational Catholic high school in Saint Paul, Minnesota operated by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. It is co-sponsored by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the Sist ...
89–77 in double overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
in the Class 4A Section 3 championship despite 35 points from Jones, ending his high school career.
Jones won the skills competition at the McDonald's All-American Game on March 31. In the April 2, 2014, McDonald's All-American Game Jones posted 7 points and a game-high 10 assists for the losing east team. 5 of the 7 points came in the final 2 minutes as the east briefly recovered the lead from a 99–95 deficit before losing 105–102. On April 12, he posted a 13-point 6-assist 5-steal effort in an 84–73 Team USA Nike Hoops Summit victory over the world team. On April 18 in the Jordan Brand Classic, he posted the only double-double with 10 points, a game-high 12 assists and 7 rebounds.
Awards and honors
Jones was selected to the 10-man Team USA for the 17th annual Nike Hoop Summit
The Nike Hoop Summit is an international men's basketball all-star game sponsored by Nike, held once a year since 1995, except from 2001–2003, which features the USA Basketball Men's Junior Select Team against a World Select Team of international ...
on April 12, 2014, at the Moda Center
Moda Center, formerly known as the Rose Garden, is the primary indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is used for basketball, ice hockey, rodeos, circuses, conventions, ice shows, concerts, and dramatic productions. The arena ...
. He was selected along with fellow Duke commits Okafor and Winslow. and the 24-player 37th annual April 2, 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game
The 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game was an All-star basketball game that was played on April 2, 2014 at the United Center in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bulls. It was the 37th annual McDonald's All-American Game for high school boys. Th ...
at the United Center
United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is name ...
. He was joined as a McDonald's All-American by fellow Minnesotans Reid Travis and Rashad Vaughn
Rashad DeAndre Vaughn (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
High school career
For the first three years of hi ...
as well as fellow Duke commits Okafor, Winslow and Grayson Allen. On March 10 he was one of 26 players selected for the April 18, 2014 Jordan Brand Classic again along with fellow Minnesotans Travis and Vaughn as well as fellow Duke commits Okafor, Winslow and Allen. On March 17, he won Associated Press Co-Player of the Year (with J. P. Macura). On March 18, he was named as one of three finalists for the McDonald's All-American Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year (along with Stanley Johnson and Cliff Alexander
Cliff Alexander (born November 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Sagesse Club of the Lebanese Basketball League, he last played for Suwon KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League. He completed his freshman season ...
). On March 20, Jones was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball.
The award's legitimacy was challenged in February 2017 when Henry Sibley, Minnesota h ...
. The following day he won his third consecutive Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year Award. He was a 2014 ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' second team All-USA Boys Basketball Team selection and a second team All-American according to MaxPreps
MaxPreps is an American website that specializes in coverage of American high school sports. The site is owned by Paramount Global and is a division of CBS Sports. Founded on August 1, 2002, the company has covered up to 29 sports, including b ...
.
Rankings and comparison
By the summer after his 2010–11 freshman season, he was described as the best point guard from the state of Minnesota since Khalid El-Amin
Khalid El-Amin (born April 25, 1979) is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a member of the 1999 University of Connecticut men's basketball team that won the NCAA championship. He is originally from Minnesota where he played ...
.[ Another Minnesotan who is a measuring stick for Jones is ]Sam Jacobson
Samuel Ryan Jacobson (born July 22, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played professionally for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Early life
...
.[ According to ]Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report (often abbreviated as B/R) is a website that focuses on sport and sports culture. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and London.
Bleacher Report was acquired by Turner Broadcasting System in Aug ...
's Kerry Miller, when he plays for Duke, Jones is likely to finish among the top 5 in the nation in assists per game but may need to work on his defense.
Recruiting
Jones was one of the most sought after recruits in 2014, ranking 4th overall in ESPN's top 100, behind eventual teammate Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Obika Okafor (pronounced ; born December 15, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League. He played his freshman season of college basketball for the 2014–15 ...
, Myles Turner
Myles Christian Turner (born March 24, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season for the Texas Longhorns before declaring for the 2015 NBA draf ...
, and Cliff Alexander
Cliff Alexander (born November 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Sagesse Club of the Lebanese Basketball League, he last played for Suwon KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League. He completed his freshman season ...
. He was a 2014 ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' second team All-USA Boys Basketball Team selection. Two years prior to being recruited, Jones made a pact with Okafor to one day play at the same college together. Jones received scholarship offers from Duke, Baylor, Kentucky, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan State, and Ohio State. Despite playing high school basketball just a short distance from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, Jones never granted Minnesota an official visit. In 2013, Jones made official visits to Baylor on August 31, Kentucky on September 2, Kansas on October 19, and Duke on October 26. On October 31, just a few days after finishing his official visits, Jones appeared on a radio show on WGVX-FM 105.1 Minneapolis, and listed Kansas, Baylor and Duke as his top three schools, leaving the hometown Gophers off of his list.
Shortly after, Jones and Okafor narrowed their list down to Duke and Kansas. On November 15, 2013, Jones and Okafor appeared on ESPNU to announce their decision. ESPN's Adam Finkelstein described the decision as "making college basketball history" with their joint commitment to the Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...
men's basketball team. Though it was thought that he might follow Jones and Okafor, Cliff Alexander announced his commitment to Kansas shortly after. On November 22, Justise Winslow
Justise Jon Winslow (born March 26, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, with whom he won the 201 ...
announced he would join Jones and Okafor at Duke, marking the third player in ESPN's top 15 recruits to commit to Duke that year. Grayson Allen
Grayson James Allen (born October 8, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played four years of college basketball at Duke University. Allen was drafted with ...
, the 21st ranked player in that class, later joined Jones, Okafor, and Winslow.
College career
As he entered his freshman season at Duke, he was expected to battle with senior point guard Quinn Cook
Quinn Alexander Cook (born March 23, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Zhejiang Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was one of the top rated baske ...
and junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon
Rasheed Wesley Sulaimon (born March 9, 1994) is an American-Nigerian professional basketball player for Konyaspor of BSL. He was selected as a McDonald's All-American as well as a Jordan Brand Classic All-American in 2012. He was the primary res ...
for playing time following the graduation of Tyler Thornton. Well before the season there were expectations that Jones would win the starting point guard position. Thus, he was selected by ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' to its Preseason All-American second team and by CBS Sports
CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W 5 ...
to its Preseason All-American third team. In its preseason top 100 player ranking, Jones was listed at number 45 by ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. Jones was named to the 36-man Bob Cousy Award
The Bob Cousy Award presented by The College of the Holy Cross (or Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award) is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. ...
Preseason Watch List. He was also listed as a John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award, and recognizing the ...
Preseason Top 50 candidate and a Wayman Tisdale Award
The USBWA National Freshman of the Year, with the men's and women's versions respectively named the Wayman Tisdale Award and Tamika Catchings Award, is an annual basketball award given to college basketball's most outstanding freshman male player ...
Watch List selection. Jones was also included in the early December Naismith Award Naismith Award is a basketball award named after James Naismith, and awarded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Naismith Awards include:
* Naismith College Player of the Year (men's and women's; NCAA Division I basketball)
* Naismith College Coach of the ...
top 50 watch list.
Jones began the season starting alongside Cook, with Sulaimon coming off the bench. On November 14, he debuted with 15 points and 7 assists against Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
. He posted 17 points against #19 Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
on November 18 in the 2014 State Farm Champions Classic. On November 30, Jones posted a season-high 10 assists along with 16 points for his first career double-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
against Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
. In the ACC–Big Ten Challenge
The ACC–Big Ten Challenge (or Big Ten–ACC Challenge as it was called in alternating years) was an in-season NCAA Division I men's college basketball series that matched up teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big Ten Confer ...
against #2 Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, Jones led the way to an 80–70 victory with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, which were all team highs. For his performance, Jones earned ACC Rookie of the week and Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week award. He was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list on January 14. Jones tied his career high on January 19 with 22 points against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in Mike Krzyzewski's 999th career victory, and on January 25 he also had 22 points against St. John's in Krzyzewski's 1000th career victory. As a result of these two performances, Jones earned ACC Co-Rookies of the Week honors along with Xavier Rathan-Mayes
Xavier Rathan-Mayes (born April 29, 1994) is a Canadian professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles.
High school career
Born in Markha ...
. Jones posted a season-high tying and game-high tying 22 points as well as 8 assists against North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in his first Carolina–Duke rivalry
The Carolina–Duke rivalry refers to the sports rivalry between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina North Carolina Tar Heels, Tar Heels and Duke University Duke Blue Devils, Blue Devils, particularly i ...
game on February 18. He scored the team's final nine points in the final 1:25 of regulation to force overtime and became the first player in the rivalry to score tally 22 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds since assists became official stats in 1983–84. As a result, he earned both ACC Rookie of the Week and Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week recognition. On March 9, Jones earned his fourth ACC Freshman of the Week honor after a week that included a new career high with 24 points in the rematch against North Carolina on March 7.
Following the 2014–15 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season, Jones was named to the All-ACC third team and was among a trio that was the first to be selected to the All-ACC Freshman first team (along with Okafor and Winslow). He was also recognized by the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
as an honorable mention selection for its All-America team. He earned NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, men's and NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, women's Division I (NCAA), Division I basketball championships (the "F ...
by scoring 23 points with 5 rebounds in the championship game of the 2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The 2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The 77th edition of the tournament began on March ...
. In 2015, the mayor of his hometown in Apple Valley pronounced April 22 as "Tyus Jones Day". On April 15, 2015, Jones announced he would enter the 2015 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.
Professional career
Minnesota Timberwolves (2015–2019)
Jones was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
, who then traded his draft rights to his hometown team, the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
, in exchange for a 2019 second round draft pick and the draft rights to Cedi Osman
Cedi Osman (born 8 April 1995) is a Turkish professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the small forward position.
Early years
Osman was born in Ohrid, Macedonia, modern-da ...
and Rakeem Christmas
Rakeem Haleek Christmas (born December 1, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange for four seasons before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 36th overall pick in ...
. On July 7, 2015, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Timberwolves. On November 10, Jones made his NBA debut against the Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division, and pla ...
, posting his first assist, steal, rebound and point. On December 5, the Timberwolves assigned Jones to the Idaho Stampede
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
, the D-League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA De ...
affiliate of the Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
. On December 22, he was recalled by the Timberwolves after he averaged 24.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 35.2 minutes per game in six starts in the D-League. He made his first NBA field goals
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
on December 23 against the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
, scoring 6 points in 20 minutes. By late February, head coach Sam Mitchell noted that Jones would be getting sufficient playing time to be evaluated.
Jones was named the MVP of the 2016 NBA Summer League
The 2016 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
Ten teams participated in the week ...
. Jones made his season debut on November 1 with 6 assists in the Timberwolves' third game against the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
. On November 8, Jones posted career highs with 12 points and 5 steals as well as a career-high tying 5 rebounds to go along with a game-high 7 assists against the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
. When Rubio did not play in the April 12, 2017 regular season finale against the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
, Jones posted a career-high with 16 assists.
The 2017–18 Minnesota Timberwolves entered training camp with just Jones and Jeff Teague at point guard. When Teague was sidelined for the last four games in November, Jones averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 assists and four steals per game over 38.5 minutes. In the second of those four games, Jones posted a career-high seven steals and a career-high tying two blocked shots in his first career NBA start against the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
on November 26, 2017.
On December 17, 2018, Jones posted his first 10-point, 10-assist double double against the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
. Jones closed out the year on December 31 with a career-high 13-assist performance and season-high 15 points against the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
. On April 7, Jones tied his career high with 13 assists against the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
. Jones ended the season with an NBA-record-setting 6.96 (min 200 assists) single-season assist to turnover ratio.
Memphis Grizzlies (2019–present)
On July 11, 2019, Jones signed a three-year deal worth $26.4 million with the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
after the Timberwolves refused to match the offer sheet. Jones repeated as NBA assists to turnover ratio leader for the 2019-20 NBA season and 2020-21 NBA season.
On February 1, 2021, Jones posted a career-high 14 assists against the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
.
With Ja Morant
Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant (born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "G12", he played college basketball for the Murray State Racers, ...
sidelined on February 15, 2022, Jones started and posted a career-high 27 points against the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
. Jones broke his own record in the 2021-22 NBA season with a 7.04 assist to turnover ratio. The 2021-22 Grizzlies went 20–5 in regular season games with Morant sidelined, and Jones started 23 of those 25 games.
On July 6, 2022, Jones re-signed with the Grizzlies on a two-year, $30 million contract.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 37 , , 0 , , 15.5 , , .359 , , .302 , , .718 , , 1.3 , , 2.9 , , .8 , , .1 , , 4.2
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 60 , , 0 , , 12.9 , , .414 , , .356 , , .767 , , 1.1 , , 2.6 , , .8 , , .1 , , 3.5
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 82 , , 11 , , 17.9 , , .457 , , .349 , , .877 , , 1.6 , , 2.8 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 5.1
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 68 , , 23 , , 22.9 , , .415 , , .317 , , .841 , , 2.0 , , 4.8 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 6.9
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, 65 , , 6 , , 19.0 , , .459 , , .379 , , .741 , , 1.6 , , 4.4 , , .9 , , .1 , , 7.4
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, 70 , , 9 , , 17.5 , , .431 , , .321 , , .911 , , 2.0 , , 3.7 , , .9 , , .1 , , 6.3
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" , Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, 73 , , 23 , , 21.2 , , .451 , , .390 , , .818 , , 2.4 , , 4.4 , , .9 , , .0 , , 8.7
, -
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 455 , , 72 , , 18.4 , , .435 , , .352 , , .818 , , 1.8 , , 3.7 , , 1.0 , , .1 , , 6.2
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, style="text-align:left;", Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 4 , , 0 , , 13.8 , , .286 , , .000 , , — , , 2.3 , , 2.0 , , .3 , , .0 , , 1.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, 5 , , 0 , , 9.4 , , .353 , , .250 , , 1.000 , , 1.4 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , .0 , , 3.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, 12 , , 3 , , 21.8 , , .394 , , .400 , , .933 , , 3.3 , , 4.5 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 9.2
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 21 , , 3 , , 17.3 , , .382 , , .373 , , .941 , , 2.6 , , 3.2 , , .8 , , .1 , , 6.1
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2014–15
, style="text-align:left;", Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
, 39 , , 39 , , 33.9 , , .417 , , .379 , , .889 , , 3.5 , , 5.6 , , 1.5 , , .1 , , 11.8
International career
Jones helped USA Basketball win gold at both the 2011 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship
The FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship is the Americas basketball championship for players under 16 years that take place every two years among national teams of the FIBA Americas zone. The event started in 2009. The top four finishers qualify ...
and 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship
The 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship (Lithuanian: 2012 m. FIBA iki 17 metų pasaulio čempionatas) was the 2nd edition of the FIBA Under-17 World Championship, the biennial international men's youth basketball championship contested by the U ...
. Jones' 28 assists over 5 games led the U16 team. The U17 team went undefeated in 8 games as Jones led the team with 43 assists. On May 5, 2014, USA Basketball
USA Basketball (USAB) is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olymp ...
announced the 21 athletes (including Jones) invited to tryout from June 10 to 19 for the 12-member USA national team for the June 20–24, 2014 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship. Jones was one of 10 incoming freshman to be selected. Eventually, 24 players tried out for the team and the roster was cut to 15 on June 12. In the end, Jones made the final 12 man roster that was announced on June 15. The United States claimed a gold medal in the tournament as Jones served as captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
.
Personal life
Jones' parents are Rob and Debbie. He has three brothers: Tre, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
, and two half-brothers, Jadee Jones and Reggie Bunch, who also played college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
in the United States.[ His parents are divorced.][ Jones is from a basketball family. His mother, Debbie, also played point guard and led ]Devils Lake High School
Devils Lake High School is a public high school located in Devils Lake, North Dakota. It is part of the Devils Lake Public Schools
Devils Lake Public School District 1, also known as Devils Lake Public Schools, is a school district serving Devi ...
to the North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...
high school championship. Rob Jones, his father, stands at and played for University of Wisconsin–Parkside
The University of Wisconsin–Parkside (UWP) is a public university in Somers, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and has 4,644 students, 161 full-time faculty, and 89 lecturers and part-time faculty. The university o ...
in the 1980s when they competed at the Division III
In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below.
Association football
*Belgian Thir ...
level. His aunt Darcy Cascaes, DeLaSalle High School's athletic director, earned two high school state championships at Devils Lake and was an all-conference guard for University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of ...
. Al Nuness, whom Tyus refers to as an uncle, was a captain for Minnesota Gophers basketball in the 1960s.[ His cousin Jared Nuness was 1997 Minnesota Gatorade player of the year and runner-up ]Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball.
The award's legitimacy was challenged in February 2017 when Henry Sibley, Minnesota h ...
.
Jones was named after Tyus Edney
Tyus Dwayne Edney Sr. (born February 14, 1973) is an American basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the San Diego Toreros men's team of the West Coast Conference (WCC). Listed at , he played point guard. He played coll ...
.[ Jones has been friends with ]Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Obika Okafor (pronounced ; born December 15, 1995) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League. He played his freshman season of college basketball for the 2014–15 ...
since age 8. Jones played American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
in middle school and was also a respected baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
and shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
.[ Jones has also represented Team USA in youth basketball competitions.
Jones and his longtime girlfriend Carrie Yeakey were engaged before the 2019-20 NBA season. Jones and his fiancée had a son Tyus Jr. on May 5, 2020.]
References
External links
Duke Blue Devils bio
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Tyus
1996 births
Living people
African-American basketball players
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Minnesota
Cleveland Cavaliers draft picks
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball players
Idaho Stampede players
McDonald's High School All-Americans
Memphis Grizzlies players
Minnesota Timberwolves players
People from Burnsville, Minnesota
Point guards
Sportspeople from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area
Apple Valley High School (Minnesota) alumni
21st-century African-American sportspeople