Draft Profile: Damian Jones

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Damian Jones was one of the most successful athletes in Vanderbilt hoops history, finishing his three-year career second on the all-time blocks list, third in field goal percentage and 24th in scoring. He earned two All-SEC First Team nods, including a spot on this year’s squad that also included Draft hopefuls Jamal Murray, Ben Simmons and Tyler Ulis.

Possessions Scouted from 2015-16 Season:
OFFENSE: 22.4 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 32.4 percent of possessions

The more I watch Damian Jones, the more I like him. He reminds me a lot of Tristan Thompson. He’s a big body but he’s light on his feet. He has a very nice touch around the basket and is a great finisher for his size. He made a couple of “wow” baskets that were more reminiscent of a guard/forward than a true big man. He finishes well through contact. He has great, soft hands. He runs the floor and attacks his own misses. He’s quick off of his feet and is agile. He’d be a terrific threat alongside a playmaking guard/wing. He can be a dangerous rim-runner. Outside of 10 feet is a struggle for him. I don’t see him becoming a true threat outside of that distance, but that’s OK considering his activity elsewhere. His athleticism and good feet translate to the defensive end. He has high defensive potential. He has a natural, low, balanced stance defensively. I think he’s capable of switching onto wings and can handle his own in a pinch against guards; he was pretty good on switches against Tyler Ulis. He even chased a few players off of staggered screens well. He’s a tough defender, but needs to gain weight/strength. That being said, he already holds his ground with good position and lower body strength. He is a good help shot blocker. I’d like to see him improve his rebounding. He has all the tools, but maybe not the instincts, to be a great threat on the glass.

Damian William Jones was born on June 30, 1995 to David and Dana Jones. He attended Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, La., and guided the basketball program to back-to-back state titles during his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he averaged 15.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 2.0 assists per game, and was named Louisiana’s 5A Player of the Year. Jones went on to play at Vanderbilt for three seasons, and established himself as one of the program’s all-time great bigs. He ended his career 24th all-time in points (1,313), second in blocks (167) and third in field goal percentage (56.6 percent). Jones quickly earned a starting role as a freshman in 2013-14, and ended up starting 95 out of the 99 career games he appeared in. During his first collegiate season, he averaged 11.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 1.6 blocks per game, and earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. He tied a school record when he blocked seven shots on Feb. 13, 2014 against South Carolina, and also added 16 points and 10 rebounds in the effort. As a sophomore, Jones put up season averages of 14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 2.0 BPG, and was named to the First-Team All-SEC. He led the SEC in field goal percentage (56.2 percent) and free throw attempts (222). His 2.0 BPG were third in the conference behind current Celtic Jordan Mickey (a nation-leading 3.6 BPG) and last year’s No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns (2.3). He scored 506 points on the season, which was the second-highest total ever by a Vanderbilt sophomore. During his junior season, Jones earned another First-Team All-SEC nod as he averaged 13.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 1.6 BPG. He corralled a career-high 16 rebounds on Feb. 20 against Georgia, then three days later scored a career-best 27 points on 12-of-13 shooting against Florida. He scored in double-figures 26 times during his final season and recorded seven double-doubles. On April 14, Jones opted to forgo his final year of eligibility and declared for the NBA Draft.