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30 - Damian Jones

6-11, 245 Center
Vanderbilt Junior
Birthday
06/30/95 (28.7 yrs)
Hometown
Baton Rouge, LA
High School
Scotlandville Magnet
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
9
Size
9
Defense
8
Strength
8
Quickness
8
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
7
Rebounding
6
Potential
8
Post Skills
7
Intangibles
7

NBA Comparison: Festus Ezeli

Strengths: Physically, Jones has ideal size, strength and speed for a center in today’s fast-paced NBA … He’s tall (6’11”), long (7’2” wingspan), with broad shoulders, strength and high level speed and athletic ability … He’s able to get up and down the floor very well for a player his size … He’s got very good touch around the rim and shows the ability to hit shots out to 15-18 feet … Good at finishing on the block, provided he isn’t forced to create a basket against a strong defender …  Between that and his improved shot selection, he’s become a very efficient player, shooting nearly 60% from the floor last season … His length and athleticism could lead him to a role as a very good help-side post defender … Additionally, he shows potential to become an even more potent offensive weapon with his improving mid-range jumper … Jones is an intelligent, high-character guy who puts in the work off the court and without question be a good teammate at the next level … Shows very well in workouts where his athleticism and shooting stroke make an intriguing combination … Shows a lot of potential with the ability to be a dominant force when he’s on his game …

Weaknesses: Sustaining a high level of intensity and focus is his biggest obstacle … Jones laid back attitude often manifests itself on the court, and his inability to consistently play to his ability is a concern … He often disappears from games and currently lacks the tenacity needed to be a dominant presence inside … Success will likely be highly contingent on landing in the right situation with coaches that understand how to build his confidence and get the most out of his abilities … Competitiveness and feel for the game comes into question … It is baffling how poorly (6.9 per game) he rebounds for someone with his physical attributes … Post skills have not progressed as expected and still need work … Has the length and hops to be a real presence inside, but doesn’t really have the rebounding numbers or defensive prowess to show for it … Had a tough time emerging as Vanderbilt’s clearcut star, depite being the best talent … Jones productivity and efficiency (scoring, FG%, FT%, minutes) decreased accross the board as a junior … He gets to the line at a decent rate, but struggled to convert once there … Regressed as a free throw shooter last year, connecting on a college career-low 54% from the stripe … Needs to work on becoming a bigger presence on both ends of the floor … Commits a fair amount of turnovers with a lack of significant assist numbers … Not particularly adept at passing out of double-teams … Despite having a very strong frame, can be pushed around at times, so adding some lower body strength and especially toughness will be key …

Overall: Jones is a springy, skilled center who has the potential to make an impact at the next level, but often struggled to consistently make an impact at the college level … He’ll need to become more tenacious and a bit stronger in order to find the consistency to stick in an NBA rotation, but the framework is there and he’s by all accounts considered a high character kid …

Notes: Measured 7’0’’ in shoes, with a 7’2’’ wingspan and 245 lbs at the 2015 Nike Basketball Academy … As a sophomore, the Jones-led Vanderbilt Commodores missed the NCAA tournament, and this past year, they were a controversial First Four selection that got bounced in their play-in game…Matched up with Jacob Poeltl at the 2015 Nike Academy and won the individual battle with his superior strength and athleticism …

Jacob Stallard 5/28/16

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