NBA Comparison: Shake Milton / Dion Waiters

Strengths: Jones is a shifty left-handed combo guard with advanced ball skills, strong scoring instincts, and underrated playmaking upside … A four-year contributor at Marquette, he emerged as one of the Big East’s most dynamic offensive guards during his senior season, averaging 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 33.7 minutes per game … Very comfortable with the ball in his hands, excels in isolation, and ball screens, using sharp crossovers, hesitation dribbles, and creative footwork to get into the paint … Uses a variety of floaters, flips, and unorthodox one-handed finishes to score around the rim … Above-average handle allow him to break defenders down, though he’s more finesse than power … Reads help defenders well and has shown the ability to kick out or drop off to cutters out of penetration, his 5.9 assists per game were a career-high and a massive jump from 2.4 APG as a junior … Comfortable running pick-and-roll and making quick decisions as a secondary playmaker … Combines solid size for a combo guard (6’3.25”, 202 lbs) with a strong frame and good body control … His 1.4 steals per game and 4.5 rebounds show he can contribute outside of pure scoring … Crafty and composed under pressure,  makes smart reads and doesn’t rush … Strong mechanics and a clean release suggest better shooting days could return with a more defined role … Uses timing and angles well, and while not vertically explosive, has a knack for keeping defenders off balance with deception and pace … Measured with a 6’6” wingspan and 8’4.5” standing reach at the NBA Combine, giving him adequate tools for the backcourt defensively …

Weaknesses: At 23 years old (born Feb. 25, 2002), Jones enters the league with limited perceived upside, especially for a prospect with combo guard traits … Lacks elite athleticism, his 24.5” no-step and 31.5” max verticals from the Combine were underwhelming for a guard prospect … While he’s a good ball handler, he can be overly reliant on getting downhill, sometimes forcing tough finishes or settling for awkward floaters against length … Many of his creative college finishes may not translate cleanly to the NBA due to his limited burst and vertical explosiveness — struggles to generate clean looks against longer, more athletic defenders … Lack of run-jump athleticism makes him an average transition finisher, not particularly fast running the floor and more comfortable in the half court … Efficiency took a hit during his senior year as he transitioned into more of a playmaker, his shooting splits dropped from 50.1/40.6/72.4 as a junior to 48.3/31.1/64.8 as a senior … While a solid passer, he’s still learning how to manage pace and avoid hero-ball tendencies, can get tunnel vision and try to do too much in late-clock situations … Played a ball-dominant role in college, and it remains to be seen how well he adjusts to a more complementary, team-first role off the bench at the next level … Size and strength are solid, but his below-average vertical burst may limit him defensively against bigger, longer guards …

Outlook: Jones has developed into a polished college scorer with legitimate ball-handling and passing ability who could carve out a role as a combo guard at the next level … He is capable of running the point and has made major strides as a facilitator, giving him real appeal as a secondary creator … His age and athletic limitations push him into the second round to undrafted range, but his skill level, experience, and basketball IQ make him one of the more ready-made backcourt prospects in this class … Some stylistic similarities to a less physically gifted Lance Stephenson — with strength off the bounce, but without the extreme bully-ball mentality or flamboyance … If placed in a system that values pace, spacing, and ball movement, he could thrive in a complementary backcourt role and grow into a reliable offensive spark off the bench …

Notes: Measured 6′ 3.25” barefoot, 202.4 lbs, 6′ 6.00” wingspan, 8′ 4.50” standing reach with a 24.5 no step vertical and 31.5 maximum vertical at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine … Averaged 19.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.4 STL in 34 games for Marquette in 2024–25 … Shot 48.3% FG, 31.1% 3PT, 64.8% FT … Hometown: Memphis, Tenn. … High School: Evangelical Christian School …

Aran Smith 5/28/25