NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Pelicans selected Herbert Jones out of the University of Alabama with the 35th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jones, 6-8, 210, is coming off a senior campaign where he led the Crimson Tide in rebounding (6.6 rpg), assists (3.3 apg), steals (1.73 spg) and blocks (1.12 bpg) en route to being named the consensus 2020-21 SEC Player of Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Nationally, Jones earned 2020-21 AP All-America Third Team honors and was a finalist for the 2020-21 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
In four seasons with the Crimson Tide, the Greensboro, Alabama native held averages of 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 129 collegiate games (101 starts). Jones was named to the SEC All-Defensive teams in 2020 and 2021, and the SEC Academic Honor Roll in all four of his seasons in Tuscaloosa.
As part of a larger trade to be finalized later, the Pelicans have agreed in principle to acquire the draft rights to the 17th overall pick Trey Murphy III from the Memphis Grizzlies. In addition, the Pelicans have agreed in principle to trade the draft rights to the 10th overall pick Ziaire Williams to the Grizzlies.
Murphy, 6-9, 206, played in 25 games (20 starts) in the 2020-21 season for the University of Virginia, averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, while shooting .503 from the floor, .433 from three-point range, and .927 from the free throw line.