James Jones (basketball, born 1980) facts for kids
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Jones with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015
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| Phoenix Suns | |
|---|---|
| President of basketball operations | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 4, 1980 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| High school | American (Hialeah, Florida) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Miami (FL) (1999–2003) |
| NBA Draft | 2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 49th overall |
| Selected by the Indiana Pacers | |
| Pro career | 2003–2017 |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 2003–2005 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2005–2007 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2007–2008 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2008–2014 | Miami Heat |
| 2014–2017 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As executive:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,717 (5.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,276 (1.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 366 (0.5 apg) |
James Andrew Jones (born October 4, 1980) is an American basketball expert. He used to be a professional player and now works as an executive. He is the president of basketball operations and general manager for the Phoenix Suns.
Jones played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was known for being a great teammate. His nickname is "Champ" because he won three NBA championships.
He played college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2003. Jones also played for the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
He won two NBA championships with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He and his teammate LeBron James went to the NBA Finals for seven years in a row! After retiring as a player, Jones became a successful executive. He was even named the NBA Executive of the Year in 2021.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
James Jones grew up in Miami, Florida. He was a talented basketball player from a young age. He played all four years at American High School.
In his senior year, he was amazing. He scored about 25 points per game. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 6 shots per game. This made him the Class 6A Player of the Year in Florida. He was also named the Miami Herald Boys' Basketball Player of the Year.
College Career at Miami
After high school, Jones played college basketball for the University of Miami. He played there from 1999 to 2003. He was not just a great athlete, but also a smart student. He studied finance and had excellent grades.
He started playing more in his second year. He averaged almost 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. By his junior year, he was one of the best players in the Big East Conference. He was also recognized for his excellent grades.
Jones played 122 games in college. He started 89 of them in a row. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. This honor recognized his great achievements in college.
Professional Basketball Career
James Jones was chosen by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA draft. He was the 49th player picked. He played as a small forward or shooting guard.
Playing for the Indiana Pacers (2003–2005)
Jones's first year with the Pacers was tough. He played only a few games due to injuries. In his second season, he played much more. He scored almost 5 points per game. He was also very good at shooting three-pointers.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2005–2007)
In 2005, Jones was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played well for the Suns. He averaged over 9 points per game in his first season there. He was known for rarely turning the ball over. This means he was very careful with the basketball.
He continued to play for the Suns in the 2006–07 season. He was very accurate with his free throws. He made 45 free throws in a row, which was the best streak in the NBA that season.
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2007–2008)
Jones was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007. He was an excellent three-point shooter for them. He led the NBA in three-point percentage for a while. He finished the season third best in the league.
This season was the only time in his NBA career that his team did not make the playoffs. Also, his teams never had a losing record during his entire career. This shows how much he contributed to winning teams.
Winning Championships with the Miami Heat (2008–2014)
In 2008, Jones signed with his hometown team, the Miami Heat. He had some injuries in his first two seasons. But he became a key player for the team.
In 2011, he won the NBA Three-Point Contest. This competition shows who is the best at shooting from long range. He was also one of the best in the NBA at avoiding turnovers.
The Heat, led by stars like LeBron James, made it to the 2011 NBA Finals. They lost that year, but they came back strong. Jones won his first NBA championship in 2012. The Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He won his second championship in 2013. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs in a very exciting series. The Heat made it to the Finals again in 2014, but lost to the Spurs.
Joining the Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2017)
In 2014, James Jones joined the Cleveland Cavaliers. His former teammate, LeBron James, asked him to come to Cleveland. The Cavaliers reached the NBA Finals in 2015, but lost to the Golden State Warriors.
In 2016, Jones won his third NBA championship. The Cavaliers made history by coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. They defeated the Golden State Warriors. Jones was a valuable player and a great teammate. LeBron James even called him his "favorite player of all time."
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Jones and LeBron James made it to the NBA Finals for seven years in a row. This is a very rare achievement in basketball history. Jones played his last NBA season in 2017.
Executive Career with the Phoenix Suns
After his playing career, James Jones moved into a new role. In 2017, he became the director of player personnel for the Phoenix Suns. This job involves helping to choose and manage players.
He quickly moved up in the organization. In 2019, he became the general manager. This means he is in charge of all basketball decisions for the team. He made some big changes to the team.
Jones made smart trades and signed good players. The Suns started to get much better. In 2021, the Suns made the playoffs for the first time in many years. Because of the team's huge improvement, Jones won the NBA Executive of the Year Award.
The Suns even reached the 2021 NBA Finals, but they lost. In 2022, the Suns had their best regular season ever. Jones was then promoted to president of basketball operations and general manager. He continues to lead the Suns today.
Personal Life and Family
James Jones is married to Destiny. They have three children: a son named James Dylan and two daughters named Jadynn Alyssa and Jodie Marissa.
He is a Christian. He has also started a foundation called the James Jones Legacy Foundation. This foundation helps people in his community. He also runs basketball camps for kids called JHoops Live and Crew 22 Training Camp.
Many of Jones's family members have also played sports. His uncle, Ricky Gutiérrez, played Major League Baseball. Several aunts and cousins played college basketball. His father and other uncles also played college basketball.
Awards and Honors
James Jones has received many awards and honors throughout his career.
- As a player
- 3-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016)
- NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2011)
- Third-team All-Big East (2002)
- 4-time Big East All-Academic Team (1999–2003)
- Inducted into University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame (2014)
- Class 6A Player of the Year in Florida (1999)
- First-team All-State Selection (1999)
- Miami Herald Boys' Basketball Player of the Year (1999)
- As an executive
- NBA Executive of the Year (2021)
See also
In Spanish: James Andrew Jones para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point field goal percentage leaders
