Born in Nassau, Bahamas, Jones moved to the United States when he was 11 years old. Before high school, he returned to his home country hoping to pursue a career as a long jumper. At age 15, Jones played organized basketball for his first time, being drawn to the sport after having a growth spurt.[1]
In the summer of 2018, Jones attended the NBA Global Camp in Treviso, Italy.[3] Following his senior year, he played a postgraduate season at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.[8] On February 4, 2019, Jones was named to the National Prep Invitational all-tournament team.[9] In March, he helped Brewster Academy win the USA National Prep Championship.[10]
Coach Shaka Smart said that Jones had the best work ethic of any big man he coached. Despite this, Jones struggled to get playing time early in his freshman season. He gradually saw more playing time as the season progressed, finishing with eight points on 4–5 shooting from the field in just 10 minutes of the Longhorns' 73–71 win over McNeese State on November 30.[12] As a freshman, Jones averaged 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.[13] On January 26, 2021, he registered his first double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds in an 80–79 loss to Oklahoma.[14] Jones was named Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and to the All-Big 12 honorable mention.[15] As a sophomore, he averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. On March 24, 2021, Jones declared for the 2021 NBA draft.[16]
On September 30, 2023, the Hornets announced that Jones would not participate in training camp and offered no timetable for his return to the team.[19] The decision came after Jones displayed bizarre behavior on social media which included criticism of his teammates, incoherent speech, and declarations of being the greatest basketball player of all time.[20]
On October 9, 2023, Jones publicly requested a trade on X[21] and two days later, he was waived by the Hornets.[22] No team claimed his waiver, making him a free agent. He averaged 2.7 points in 9.1 minutes per game during his two seasons with the Hornets.[22]
On April 14, 2024, Jones signed for the rest of the season with the Los Angeles Clippers.[25] On July 9, he re-signed with the Clippers[26] and on October 19, his deal converted into a two-way contract.[27]
National team career
Jones was a member of the Bahamian junior national team at the 2019 Centrobasket Under-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic. His team finished seventh place out of eight teams.[28]
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