Herbert Jones (basketball)

Herbert Jones

Jones with Alabama in 2020
No. 5–New Orleans Pelicans
Position	Small forward
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	(1998-10-06) October 6, 1998 (age 25) Greensboro, Alabama U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 [1]  in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	Sunshine (Newbern, Alabama) Hale County (Moundville, Alabama)
College	Alabama (2017–2021)
NBA draft	2021: 2nd round, 35th overall pick
Selected by the New Orleans Pelicans
Playing career	2021–present
Career history
2021–present	New Orleans Pelicans
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2022) Third-team All-American – AP, SN (2021) SEC Player of the Year (2021) First-team All-SEC (2021) SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2021) 2× SEC All-Defensive Team (2020, 2021)
Stats   at NBA.com
Stats   at Basketball-Reference.com

Herbert Keyshawn Jones (born October 6, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He earned third-team All-American honors as a senior in 2021, when he was also named the SEC Player of the Year.

High school career

Jones started playing varsity basketball as a seventh-grader for Sunshine High School in Newbern, Alabama, where his father served as the head coach. He played alongside his older brother, Walter Jr., and helped his team reach the Class 1A state finals in 2015, before the school closed. ^[2] For his junior season, Jones transferred to Hale County High School in nearby Moundville, Alabama, following his father, who was an assistant coach. ^[3] As a senior, he averaged 16.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and four assists, earning Class 4A Player of the Year honors. ^[4] Jones led Hale County to the 4A state championship, its first-ever state title. ^[5] He committed to playing college basketball at Alabama over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida. ^[6]

College career

As a freshman at Alabama, Jones averaged 4.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He drew a single-season program record 23 charges. ^[7] In his sophomore season, he averaged 6.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. ^[8] On January 29, 2020, during a game against LSU, Jones suffered a fractured left wrist and underwent surgery three days later. He returned to action on February 12 while wearing a cast on his wrist. ^[9] In his next game, after three days, Jones recorded six points and 17 rebounds in an 88–82 win over LSU. Late in the game, he made two free throws using only his right hand, due to his injury. ^[10] As a junior, Jones averaged 7.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and was a Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Defensive Team selection. He declared for the 2020 NBA draft before withdrawing and returning to college. ^{[8] [11]}

At the close of the 2020–21 regular season, Jones was named the SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches. ^[12] As a senior, he averaged 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. On April 8, 2021, Jones declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his extra year of college eligibility. ^[13]

Professional career

Jones was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 35th pick by the New Orleans Pelicans. ^[14] On December 28, 2021, Jones scored a then career-high 26 points in a 108–104 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. ^[15] On March 27, 2022, he had a career-high six steals in a 116–108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. ^[16] On April 5, 2023, Jones put up a career-high 35 points to go with five made three-pointers. ^[17]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2021–22	New Orleans	78	69	29.9	.476	.337	.840	3.8	2.1	1.7	.8	9.5
2022–23	New Orleans	66	66	29.6	.469	.335	.764	4.1	2.5	1.6	.6	9.8
2023–24	New Orleans	76	76	30.5	.498	.418	.867	3.6	2.6	1.4	.8	11.0
Career		220	211	30.0	.482	.373	.824	3.8	2.4	1.5	.7	10.1

Play-in

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2022	New Orleans	2	2	35.1	.538	.429	1.000	6.0	2.0	1.0	1.5	9.5
2023	New Orleans	1	1	39.1	.438	.200	.833	5.0	5.0	1.0	1.0	20.0
2024	New Orleans	2	2	30.6	.600	.500	.000	.5	2.0	1.5	.5	7.5
Career		5	5	34.1	.513	.389	.700	3.6	2.6	1.2	1.0	10.8

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2022	New Orleans	6	6	37.7	.477	.417	.773	3.3	1.8	1.8	.8	10.7
Career		6	6	37.7	.477	.417	.773	3.3	1.8	1.8	.8	10.7

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2017–18	Alabama	35	13	21.2	.408	.269	.500	3.5	1.4	1.3	.6	4.2
2018–19	Alabama	34	29	21.1	.422	.286	.495	3.5	2.0	0.9	0.6	6.4
2019–20	Alabama	27	26	26.5	.484	.071	.625	6.4	2.3	1.3	0.7	7.9
2020–21	Alabama	33	33	27.3	.446	.351	.713	6.6	3.3	1.7	1.1	11.2
Career		129	101	23.8	.441	.288	.604	4.9	2.2	1.3	.8	7.3

Personal life

Jones is the son of Walter Sr. and Verlander Jones. He was born with hemolytic anemia. ^[18] His older brother, Walter Jr., played college basketball for Texas–Rio Grande Valley and Alabama A&M. ^[3]

Upon being drafted by the Pelicans, Jones is known for driving the same car every game as he did in his college days. Back then, he was also trying to save his money to help his family financially, by avoiding spending his own money, wearing the team's gear in every game.

References

1. "Herbert Jones | New Orleans Pelicans". National Basketball Association.
2. Champlin, Drew (October 4, 2016). "Small town standout Herb Jones has big basketball dreams". AL.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
3. Tsoukalas, Tony (November 17, 2017). "How a brotherly bond has always fueled Alabama freshman Herbert Jones". Rivals . Retrieved January 16, 2021.
4. Chandler, Joey (April 4, 2017). "Jones, Ford win Class 4A Player of the Year honors". The Tuscaloosa News . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
5. Estwick, Gary (March 3, 2017). "Kaddell Perry, Herb Jones lead Hale County past Monroe County for 1st state title". AL.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
6. Champlin, Drew (October 6, 2016). "Hale County guard Herb Jones commits to Alabama". AL.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
7. Potter, Charlie (November 9, 2018). "Herbert Jones 'means a tremendous amount' to Tide basketball". 247Sports . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
8. Martin, Tyler (October 26, 2020). "Herb Jones' Offensive Development Could Be X-Factor for Crimson Tide Basketball". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
9. Byington, Alex (February 13, 2020). "How Alabama's one-handed Herb Jones showed 'warrior' approach returning to the floor against Auburn". Montgomery Advertiser . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
10. Walsh, Christopher (February 18, 2020). "Alabama Still Getting 'Goosebumps' From Epic Herb Jones Free Throws". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
11. Martin, Tyler (June 3, 2020). "Alabama Basketball's Herbert Jones Returning For Senior Season". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
12. "2021 SEC Men's Basketball Awards Announced" (Press release). Southeastern Conference. March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
13. Martin, Tyler (April 8, 2021). "Alabama Basketball's Herb Jones Officially Declares for 2021 NBA Draft". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 26, 2021.
14. Potter, Charlie (July 29, 2021). "2021 NBA Draft: New Orleans Pelicans select Alabama's Herbert Jones". 247 Sports. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
15. "Cavaliers vs. Pelicans - Game Summary - December 28, 2021". ESPN. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
16. "Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans Mar 27, 2022 Game Summary". National Basketball Association. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
17. Meyers, Andrew (April 5, 2023). "Knicks record never seen in NBA history matched by Pelicans on same day". ClutchPoints. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
18. Burger, Kyle (February 26, 2019). "Alabama basketball player Herbert Jones fighting blood disorder since birth". WVTM-TV . Retrieved January 18, 2021.

External links

• Alabama Crimson Tide bio