Derrick Jones Jr. facts for kids
Jones with the Chicago Bulls in 2022
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| No. 5 – Los Angeles Clippers | |
|---|---|
| Small forward / power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 15, 1997 Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Archbishop John Carroll (Radnor, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UNLV (2015–2016) |
| NBA Draft | 2016 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2016–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 2016–2017 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2016–2017 | →Northern Arizona Suns |
| 2017–2020 | Miami Heat |
| 2017–2018 | →Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2020–2021 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2021–2023 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2023–2024 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2024–present | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. (born February 15, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. People call him "Airplane Mode" because he can do amazing dunks.
Contents
High School Basketball Journey
As a senior at Archbishop John Carroll High School in 2014–15, Derrick was a top player. He was named the best player in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He also won the PIAA Triple-A Player of the Year award. His team, Archbishop Carroll, had a great season with 23 wins and 7 losses.
Derrick was a star player, averaging 19.2 points per game. He also grabbed 10.1 rebounds and blocked 2.3 shots per game. During his high school career, he scored 1,645 points. He also collected 1,029 rebounds and blocked 268 shots. He became the highest scorer in his school's history.
College Basketball Experience
Derrick Jones Jr. joined the UNLV Runnin' Rebels for his first year in college. He played during the 2015–16 season. Derrick was the second-highest scorer for his team that year. He averaged 11.5 points per game. He also made 58.9 percent of his shots.
He had four games where he scored double-doubles. A double-double means he got double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds. In one game, he scored a career-high 26 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds in that game.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the Phoenix Suns (2016–2017)
Derrick decided to enter the 2016 NBA draft in April 2016. Even though he wasn't picked by any team in the draft, he joined the Sacramento Kings for the Summer League. Later, he signed with the Phoenix Suns in September 2016. He impressed the team and earned a spot on their roster.
Derrick made his NBA debut on November 19, 2016. He played against the Philadelphia 76ers. Even though he spent a lot of time with the NBA Development League team, the Northern Arizona Suns, he was chosen for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He made it to the final round but lost to Glenn Robinson III. Derrick scored his career-high 15 points in a game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 9, 2017. The Suns later let him go in December 2017.
Playing for the Miami Heat (2017–2020)
On December 31, 2017, Derrick signed a special contract with the Miami Heat. This contract allowed him to play for both the Heat and their minor league team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He started his first game for the Heat on January 9, 2018.
A big moment for Derrick came during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend. He won the exciting Slam Dunk Contest! He beat Aaron Gordon in a very close competition. Both players had amazing dunks. Derrick won after a windmill dunk from just past the free throw line. The Heat made it to the 2020 NBA Finals that year. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Time with the Portland Trail Blazers (2020–2021)
After his time with the Heat, Derrick signed with the Portland Trail Blazers on November 22, 2020. He played for them for one season.
Joining the Chicago Bulls (2021–2023)
On August 28, 2021, Derrick joined the Chicago Bulls. He was part of a trade deal involving three teams. In January 2022, he had a knee injury. Later, he also fractured his right index finger during a workout. He re-signed with the Bulls in July 2022. In June 2023, he decided to become a free agent.
Making an Impact with the Dallas Mavericks (2023–2024)
Derrick signed with the Dallas Mavericks on August 18, 2023. He made his debut for the Mavericks on October 25, 2023. At first, he came off the bench. But he soon earned a spot in the starting lineup. This was because of his excellent defense.
During the playoffs, Derrick's defense was very important. His athleticism and hustle helped the Mavericks win many key games. He blocked shots, played strong perimeter defense, and grabbed rebounds. He often guarded the best players on the other team. This included stars like Paul George and Anthony Edwards. Derrick also improved his offensive game. He became more confident with his outside shots. He also became good at cutting to the basket. His time with the Mavericks was a very important part of his career. He helped the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals. They played against the Boston Celtics but lost in five games.
Moving to the Los Angeles Clippers (2024–present)
On July 10, 2024, Derrick Jones Jr. signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is currently playing for them.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Phoenix | 32 | 8 | 17.0 | .562 | .273 | .707 | 2.5 | .4 | .4 | .4 | 5.3 |
| 2017–18 | Phoenix | 6 | 0 | 5.5 | .500 | .000 | .833 | .7 | .5 | .2 | .7 | 1.5 |
| Miami | 14 | 8 | 15.2 | .388 | .188 | .611 | 2.4 | .4 | .2 | .6 | 3.7 | |
| 2018–19 | Miami | 60 | 14 | 19.2 | .494 | .308 | .607 | 4.0 | .6 | .8 | .7 | 7.0 |
| 2019–20 | Miami | 59 | 16 | 23.3 | .527 | .280 | .772 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | .6 | 8.5 |
| 2020–21 | Portland | 58 | 43 | 22.7 | .484 | .316 | .648 | 3.5 | .8 | .6 | .9 | 6.8 |
| 2021–22 | Chicago | 51 | 8 | 17.6 | .538 | .328 | .800 | 3.3 | .6 | .5 | .6 | 5.6 |
| 2022–23 | Chicago | 64 | 0 | 14.0 | .500 | .338 | .738 | 2.4 | .5 | .5 | .6 | 5.0 |
| 2023–24 | Dallas | 76 | 66 | 23.5 | .483 | .343 | .713 | 3.3 | 1.0 | .7 | .7 | 8.6 |
| 2024–25 | L.A. Clippers | 77 | 55 | 24.3 | .526 | .356 | .703 | 3.4 | .8 | 1.0 | .4 | 10.1 |
| Career | 497 | 218 | 20.3 | .507 | .325 | .706 | 3.3 | .7 | .7 | .6 | 7.2 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Miami | 15 | 0 | 6.5 | .471 | .444 | .400 | .8 | .5 | .4 | .3 | 1.5 |
| 2021 | Portland | 2 | 0 | 5.0 | .400 | .000 | — | .0 | .0 | .5 | .0 | 2.0 |
| 2022 | Chicago | 5 | 0 | 11.8 | .412 | .273 | .667 | 1.4 | .4 | .2 | .0 | 3.8 |
| 2024 | Dallas | 22* | 22* | 29.4 | .481 | .369 | .733 | 3.5 | 1.2 | .5 | 1.0 | 9.1 |
| 2025 | L.A. Clippers | 7 | 1 | 18.4 | .438 | .300 | .375 | 1.9 | .3 | .6 | 1.3 | 7.3 |
| Career | 51 | 23 | 18.5 | .466 | .346 | .630 | 2.1 | .7 | .5 | .7 | 5.8 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | UNLV | 30 | 15 | 21.5 | .589 | .205 | .594 | 4.5 | .8 | .9 | 1.3 | 11.5 |
Personal Life
Derrick Jones Jr. has one brother and two sisters. In January 2023, he got engaged to his girlfriend. This happened during a trip to Paris when the Bulls were there to play a game.
See also
In Spanish: Derrick Jones Jr. para niños
