Scouting Report: Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
Tap here to get an in-depth look at the top prospects in this year's draft class leading up to the NBA draft, which takes place on June 25 in Brooklyn.
Like triple-threat actor-singer-model Garrett Hedlund said, "Timing is everything," and there's likely no better timing for the best stretch of one's career than the NCAA tournament.
That's how former bubble first-round pick Tyus Jones finds himself on the fringes of the lottery and firmly inside the top 25, having led Duke to a National Championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors in the process. His tournament push - he averaged 13 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals over six games - may have even secured him a draft promise and shut down his pre-draft workouts prematurely.
Relevant Background
| Position | DraftExpress Rank | ESPN Rank | Height w/ Shoes | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 14 | 20 | 6' 2" | 185 |
| Wingspan | Standing Reach | Max Vertical (in.) | Hand Length (in.) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6' 5" | 8' 1" | 32.5 | 8.25 | 6.5% |
| NCAA Stats | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 11.8 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 41.7% | 37.9% |
Scouting Report
Strengths: Analytics are said to love Jones and it's not hard to see why. He rarely turns the ball over, uses a low number of possessions to get his own offense thanks to a solid outside stroke and a nose for getting to the line, and distributes to teammates better than maybe any other guard in the draft. The most "pure" point in the class, Jones sees the floor incredibly well, and while he's not as creative a passer as maybe a D'Angelo Russell, he's a terrific distributor. Teams are said to love his high IQ, and leading a team to a National Championship surely looks great on the resume - and he won gold medals at three age levels as a teenager, too.
Weaknesses: For all the results, he doesn't quite look the part of an NBA guard. While he's not short, he was one of the lightest players at the NBA Draft Combine and measured in the bottom five for wingpsan. He doesn't make up for that with great athleticism, either, putting him at a physical disadvantage more or less every night in the NBA - he probably won't be a very good defender despite a strong steal rate, and he may struggle to finish inside the paint.
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What to Expect on Draft Day
Jones' physical limitations make him a bit of a risk in terms of floor, but the diminutive guard has continued to produce results and has a clear role in the NBA, even if it's not superstar status. The Houston Rockets would be a terrific philosophical and on-court fit with the No. 18 pick, the Dallas Mavericks would probably represent Jones' floor at No. 21, and it remains possible that if Cameron Payne keeps shooting up boards, Jones could find himself in the late lottery as the next point guard up.