Derrick Jones Jr. facts for kids
Jones with the Chicago Bulls in 2022
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| No. 55 – Los Angeles Clippers | |
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| 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). Derrick played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. People call him "Airplane Mode" because he can do amazing dunks.
Contents
- Derrick's High School Basketball Journey
- Derrick's College Basketball Time
- Derrick's Professional Basketball Career
- Starting with the Phoenix Suns (2016–2017)
- Slam Dunk Contest Star
- Joining the Miami Heat (2017–2020)
- Winning the Slam Dunk Contest
- Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2020–2021)
- Time with the Chicago Bulls (2021–2023)
- Making an Impact with the Dallas Mavericks (2023–2024)
- Joining the Los Angeles Clippers (2024–present)
- Derrick's Personal Life
Derrick's High School Basketball Journey
Becoming a Star Player
Derrick Jones Jr. was a top player at Archbishop John Carroll High School. In his senior year (2014–15), he was named the best player in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He also won the Delaware County Player of the Year award. He was chosen as the PIAA Triple-A Player of the Year. Derrick was also picked for the first-team All-Catholic League.
His team, Archbishop Carroll, had a great season. They won 23 games and lost only 7. In one important state tournament game, he scored 30 points. He also grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked five shots. For the whole season, he averaged 19.2 points per game. He also got 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Derrick scored 1,645 points in his high school career. He also had 1,029 rebounds and 268 blocks. This made him the highest scorer in his school's history.
Derrick's College Basketball Time
Playing for UNLV
Derrick joined the UNLV Runnin' Rebels in 2015. This was for his first year of college. Before the season started, there was a question about his test scores. But Derrick was allowed to play. He was the second-best scorer for the Runnin' Rebels that year. He averaged 11.5 points per game. He also shot 58.9 percent from the field. Derrick got 4.5 rebounds per game in 30 games.
He had four games where he scored double-doubles. This means he had double digits in two stats, like points and rebounds. In one game, he scored a career-high 26 points. He also got 10 rebounds against Chaminade. This was at the Maui Invitational Tournament. Later, his test score was canceled. Because of this, he could not play the last three games of the season.
Derrick's Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the Phoenix Suns (2016–2017)
In April 2016, Derrick decided to try for the 2016 NBA draft. He didn't get picked in the draft. But he joined the Sacramento Kings for the Summer League. He couldn't play because of an injury.
Later, he signed with the Phoenix Suns in September 2016. He played well and earned a spot on the team. He played his first NBA game on November 19, 2016. He scored his first points in the NBA on December 15, 2016. Derrick spent a lot of time playing for the Northern Arizona Suns. This was their team in the NBA Development League.
Slam Dunk Contest Star
Even though he was in the Development League, Derrick was chosen for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He made it to the final round. He lost to Glenn Robinson III in a close contest. He scored a career-high 15 points in a game on April 9, 2017. In December 2017, the Suns let him go. He had played 38 games for them. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds.
Joining the Miami Heat (2017–2020)
On December 31, 2017, Derrick signed with the Miami Heat. He had a special contract. This meant he would play for both the Heat and their G League team. That team was the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He started his first game for the Heat on January 9, 2018. He scored 8 points and had 5 rebounds.
Winning the Slam Dunk Contest
Derrick won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2020. He beat Aaron Gordon in an amazing final. They both had perfect scores on their first two dunks. This forced an extra round. Derrick won with a score of 48. He did a windmill dunk after taking off near the free throw line. Aaron Gordon got a 47 for dunking over a very tall player.
In August 2020, Derrick got a neck strain. He had to leave the court on a stretcher. The Heat made it to the 2020 NBA Finals. But they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games.
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2020–2021)
On November 22, 2020, Derrick signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. He played for them for one season.
Time with the Chicago Bulls (2021–2023)
In August 2021, Derrick joined the Chicago Bulls. This was part of a trade deal. In January 2022, he got a knee injury. The Bulls said he would miss some weeks. Later, he fractured his right index finger during a workout. He had to miss more time.
In July 2022, Derrick signed again with the Bulls. He played for them for another season. In June 2023, he decided to become a free agent.
Making an Impact with the Dallas Mavericks (2023–2024)
On August 18, 2023, Derrick signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He played his first game for them on October 25, 2023. He started the season coming off the bench. But he soon earned a spot in the starting lineup. This was because of his strong defense.
During the playoffs, Derrick's defense was very important. He helped the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals. He often guarded the other team's best players. These included stars like Paul George and Anthony Edwards. He also improved his offense. He showed more confidence with his outside shot. This season was a big highlight in his NBA career. The Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Joining the Los Angeles Clippers (2024–present)
On July 10, 2024, Derrick signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is excited to start this new chapter in his career.
Derrick's Personal Life
Derrick has one brother and two sisters. In January 2023, he got engaged to his girlfriend. This happened when the Bulls were on a trip to Paris.
