Entering the season, most people were not sure what to expect from Texas sophomore guard Andrew Jones. Coming off essentially a season and a half of recovery from leukemia that began in January 2018, it was a welcome surprise that he was not just back on the court, but contributing at a high level. He mostly came off the bench in nonconference play — most likely to get him back into basketball condition — but the further the Longhorns got into Big 12 games, the longer the leash that head coach Shaka Smart gave him. Jones ended the year as Texas’ second highest leading scorer with 11.5 points per game and was rewarded with an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Everytime Jones hits the court, it’s easy to be in awe of his journey and how he defied odds to contribute so meaningfully. With two more years left with the Longhorns, let’s go through what Jones can do to continue to progress as a player.
Scoring
By the end of the 2019 season, it became pretty clear that when Texas needed someone to get a bucket late in the game, the ball should be Jones’ hands. While his efficiency, specifically at 44% on two-point shots, took a significant dip compared to Jones’ first two collegiate seasons.
But how does he get it done?
Jones uses the threat of his effective pull up in tandem with his quickness getting to the basket. A career 37% marksman from deep on 4.4 attempts per game (an almost 50% 3-point rate), Jones can knock down threes in a variety of situations, both on and off the ball.
In the play below, he makes sure to keep the initial defender on his hip, and even though Texas Tech switches a guard onto him, Jones creates separation with his step back and knocks down the shot to beat the clock.
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Bringing the ball into the half court in semi-transition, Jones uses a solid screen set by teammate Jericho Sims and is able to fluidly rise into a knockdown pull-up three at the top of the key.
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He’s also no slouch in off ball scenarios, able to relocate and get to accessible open spots of the floor so his teammates can feed him the ball.
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With defenders ever-so-wary of Jones’ shooting, it allows him to create lanes to the hoop. He possesses the ability to get past most opposing guards, often using his handle to lull defenders to sleep, and then uses nifty change of pace and direction moves to get to the rack.
The clip below displays that Jones is not getting past anyone due to superior physical abilities, rather as a result of advanced moves and the change of pace and direction.
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In regards to his in-between games, while nothing to write home about, Jones does have some redeeming qualities in this area. His floater is a nice little tool that he can use when he is not able to get to the rim, and it is relatively effective.
However, Jones does have some limitations. His lack of strength and burst can really show themselves when attacking the hoop. He was already on the slimmer side during his first year and a half with the Longhorns. His free throw rate dropped significantly from over .30 to just .17 this past year. Obviously, this was not in Jones’ control, but a healthy summer in the weight room could help mitigate some of these issues, as he already has shown a knack of finishing tough shots at the hoop.
Decision Making
While Jones is relatively advanced as a scorer, the same probably cannot be said for his skills as a distributor, posting just under a 1:1 assist to turnover ratio in 2019-20. Jones can make basic reads and find the open man, but he struggles when it comes to more advanced passes.
In the following clip, Jones does a good job collapsing the defense with his drive and recognizes junior forward Royce Hamm Jr. open. Instead of throwing a lob pass, where no defender is in a position to alter the attempt, he tries to force the ball through multiple defenders in an extremely tight window. The pass ends up getting tipped, leading to a turnover.
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Jones is also susceptible to making a lazy pass that leads to an easy steal, as shown below.
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Overall
Andrew Jones established himself as one of Texas’ best players in 2019-20. He’s a talented scorer who leverages his shooting and handle in order to get to the hoop. Jones needs to continue to develop his playmaking skills and continue to develop strength and explosiveness to take the next step as a basketball player. Regardless, look for the Longhorns to rely on Jones significantly in the 2020-21 season.
