Derrick Jones Jr.

BIOGRAPHY

Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. was born on February 15, 1997, in Chester, Pennsylvania. He is a guard and forward in the NBA.

Jones attended Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor, Pennsylvania. As a senior in 2014–15, he was named the Southeastern Pennsylvania Player of the Year, the Delaware County Player of the Year, was the PIAA Triple-A Player of the Year, and was selected first-team All-Catholic League. Jones joined the UNLV Runnin' Rebels for his freshman season in the 2015–16 NCAA season. Prior to the start of the season, the NCAA Eligibility Center requested that the ACT investigate test scores recorded by Jones and several other minority student-athletes from a particular testing site in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite this, Jones was cleared by the NCAA prior to UNLV's first game against Cal Poly in November. Later that season, however, he was deemed ineligible to play by the NCAA. After that season, he declared for the 2016 NBA draft.

Jones ultimately went undrafted in the 2016 draft, and subsequently joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2016 NBA Summer League. The following season, he joined the Pheonix Suns training camp, where he impressed the coaches enough to secure an opening night roster spot. He then went on to play for the Suns G-League team. On December 31, 2017, Jones signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. On a two-way contract, Jones split his playing time between the Heat and their NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He made his first start for the Heat on January 9, 2018 in just his third game, recording eight points, five rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 28 minutes against the Toronto Raptors. On July 1, 2018, Jones Jr. signed a standard contract with the Miami Heat.

Jones won the Slam Dunk Contest over Aaron Gordon during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend.

On November 22, 2020, Jones signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.