MEMPHIS, Tenn — Former Memphis Tigers guard David Jones will get his big shot in the NBA. The Dominican Republic native signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, Thursday.
A two-way contract allows a player to play in both the NBA with the larger team and for the organizations G-League affiliate, in this case the Delaware Blue Coats.
Jones only played one year with the Tigers, but made a huge impact. He led the Tigers in scoring (21.8 ppg) and rebounds (7.6 rpg). The guard shot 45.9% from the field and was a high volume three-point shooter, connecting at a 38% clip on six attempts a game. Jones his 79 three-pointers this year.
Jones received a lot of attention nationally. He was named an Associated Press All-American honorable mention and finalist for tor the 2024 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award. He became the first player since Zion Williamson in 2018-19 to average 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a season.
Jones choice to go to the NBA was highly scrutinized. He initially announced his intent to put his name in the NBA Draft while maintaining his final year of college eligibility. There was a strong conviction by Penny Hardaway that Jones would return to the Tigers.
The 6-foot-6 wing was given an invite to the NBA Draft combine, where his measurements and performance in draft scrimmages were disappointing. Jones reportedly wowed in some private workouts with teams.
The Philadelphia 76ers finished 2023-24 season 47-35, good for seventh in the Eastern Conference. They lost 4-2 to the New York Knicks in the playoffs first round.
