It’s finally official.
Bobby Jones, the Nuggets defensive lynchpin during their ABA days, was formally inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night. It’s just recognition for the power forward, largely considered to be one of the elite defenders during his 12-year professional career in the ABA and NBA.
Jones spent his first four years as a pro basketball player in the Mile High City before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the 1978-79 NBA season. The 6-foot-9 forward received back-to-back ABA All-Defensive First Team honors in the Nuggets’ final two years in the league and would then follow that up with NBA All-Defensive First Team honors for eight consecutive years from 1977-84. He was a four-time NBA All-Star, including two appearances representing the Nuggets in his two years with the team. He would later win an NBA title with the Sixers on their "fo', fo', fo'” team in 1983.
Jones, nicknamed the Secretary of Defense, is thrilled with his induction at age 67.
“It’s a great honor,” Jones told NBA TV last week. “Individually as a honor, it is great. I would rank it up there with winning a championship. Although it is an individual honor, it’s something that was assisted for me by the people who were my teammates all throughout my career.
“As I accept the induction next Friday, I look forward to mentioning those people and giving them the credit for helping me to get to where I was.”