Tyrique Jones

Tyrique Jones
Jones with Partizan in 2024
No. 88 – Partizan Mozzart Bet
PositionCenter
LeagueKLS
ABA League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1997-05-03) May 3, 1997 (age 27)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Listed height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight108 kg (238 lb)
Career information
High school
CollegeXavier (2016–2020)
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020Wonju DB Promy
2020–2021Hapoel Tel Aviv
2021–2022Pesaro
2022–2023Türk Telekom
2023–2024Anadolu Efes
2024–presentPartizan
Career highlights and awards

Tyrique Jones (born May 3, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Partizan Belgrade of the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Xavier Musketeers.

Early life

Jones grew up playing football as a tight end and defensive end and idolized Dwight Freeney. However, while attending Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Freeney's alma mater, he began to focus on basketball instead.[1] As a junior, he averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, leading his team to the Class S state semifinals and earning First Team All-State honors from the Hartford Courant. He played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the New York Rens and Expressions Elite. For his senior season, Jones transferred to Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont, averaging 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He led his team to the Class AA New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Finals and was named to the Class AA All-NEPSAC Second Team.[2] Jones played a postgraduate season, averaging 19.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.7 assists per game. He led Vermont Academy to its first ever NEPSAC title and was a Class AA All-NEPSAC First Team selection.[3]

Jones was considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals, and a three-star recruit by 247Sports. On June 29, 2015, he committed to play college basketball for Xavier over offers from Florida State, Cincinnati and Texas Tech, among other high major programs.[4]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Tyrique Jones
PF 		Bloomfield, CT Vermont Academy (VT) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Jun 29, 2015 
Star ratings: Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN:4/5 stars   ESPN grade: 82
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 115  247Sports: 138  ESPN: 95
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Xavier 2016 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  • "2016 Xavier Musketeers Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  • "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.

College career

As a freshman, Jones started four games in the NCAA Tournament and helped Xavier reach the Elite Eight.[5] He averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He struggled with leg soreness during his sophomore season, which he credited to not utilizing the training room enough, and he missed two games with a shoulder injury. Jones largely played behind Kerem Kanter and Sean O'Mara as a sophomore, averaging seven points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. He focused on losing weight by eating a healthy diet as well as outside shooting and weight lifting going into his junior season.[6] Coach Chris Mack praised his attitude and demeanor, calling him one of his favorite players.[7]

On November 10, 2018, Jones scored 19 points and had a career-high 20 rebounds in a 91–85 win over Evansville.[8] He posted a career-high 22 points and had 11 rebounds in a 78–76 overtime loss to Texas in the second round of the NIT, but missed a layup to tie the game at the end.[9] As a junior, Jones averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Following the season he declared for the 2019 NBA draft but ultimately returned to Xavier.[10] On November 22, 2019, Jones posted 17 points with 11 rebounds in a 75–74 double overtime win over UConn and blocked a potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation.[11] In his final collegiate game on March 12, 2020, he tied his career-high with 22 points in a 71–67 loss to DePaul.[12] Jones averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1.1 steals and one block per game as a senior and had 20 double-doubles, the fourth-most for Division I players.[13] He was named to the Second Team All-Big East.[14]

Professional career

On September 21, 2020, Jones signed his first professional contract with Wonju DB Promy of the Korean Basketball League.[15]

On December 31, 2020, he signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.[16] In 2020–21 he was third in the Israel Basketball Premier League in blocked shots per game (1.4), 6th in offensive rebounds (2.6), and fifth in two-point field goal percentage (67.2 per cent).[17]

Jones joined the Phoenix Suns for the 2021 NBA Summer League. On August 21, 2021, he signed with Victoria Libertas Pesaro of the Lega Basket Serie A.[18]

On July 23, 2022, Jones signed with Türk Telekom of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[19] On June 21, 2023, he mutually parted ways with the Turkish club.

On June 24, 2023, Jones signed a two-year contract with Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes, following his Türk Telekom coach Erdem Can.

On August 20, 2024, Jones signed with Partizan of the ABA League, Basketball League of Serbia (KLS) and the EuroLeague.[20][21]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2023–24 Anadolu Efes 34 8 17.5 .634 — .667 4.3 1.0 .8 .4 7.2 9.5
Career 34 8 17.5 .634 — .667 4.3 1.0 .8 .4 7.2 9.5

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2022–23 Türk Telekom 20 19 27.3 .673 .000 .603 8.0 1.0 1.3 .9 12.7 19.0
Career 20 19 27.3 .673 .000 .603 8.0 1.0 1.3 .9 12.7 19.0

Domestic leagues

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020–21 South Korea Wonju DB Promy KBL 24 14.0 .529 — .577 6.6 .5 .8 .2 6.6
2020–21 Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv Ligat HaAl 16 28.3 .669 — .755 7.7 1.3 1.1 1.4 12.9
2021–22 Italy Victoria Libertas LBA 33 29.5 .652 .000 .567 9.7 1.6 .8 .9 13.1
2022–23 Turkey Türk Telekom TBSL 34 27.5 .707 .000 .617 8.7 1.9 1.1 1.1 14.0
2023–24 Turkey Anadolu Efes TBSL 16 26.2 .589 — .611 6.4 1.7 .4 .6 10.5

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Xavier 37 13 11.0 .602 — .488 3.1 .3 .2 .4 4.2
2017–18 Xavier 32 19 15.0 .627 — .589 4.5 .5 .6 .6 7.0
2018–19 Xavier 34 31 24.8 .624 — .641 7.7 .8 .8 .9 11.3
2019–20 Xavier 32 32 28.2 .557 — .592 11.0 1.5 1.0 1.1 14.0
Career 135 95 19.5 .595 — .596 6.5 .7 .6 .7 9.0

Personal life

Jones' mother, Petronia "Winnie" Bailey, emigrated with her brother from Jamaica to Connecticut at age 11. His father, Lester, was born in The Bahamas to Jamaican parents.[22] On May 1, 2002, when Jones was four years old, his father jumped into Connecticut River and died by drowning, following an encounter with the police.[1][5]

Jones was nicknamed "Eighty-Eight" by his father because his birth weight was eight pounds and eight ounces. The number was tattooed on Jones' right bicep when he was 16 years old; it was his first tattoo.[11] He has a tattoo of the number 32 on his right shoulder and upper arm to honor his father's high school basketball jersey number at Weaver High School.[5][23]

References

  1. ^ a b Erardi, John (December 27, 2018). "Game Face". Xavier Nation Magazine. Xavier University Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Russell, Shannon (November 17, 2015). "Xavier basketball inks two four-star recruits". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Tyrique Jones". Xavier University Athletics. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  4. ^ "Jones Joining Xavier". New England Recruiting Report. June 29, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Amore, Dom (March 11, 2019). "Bloomfield's Tyrique Jones making his mark in the Big East at Xavier". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  6. ^ Russell, Shannon (June 14, 2018). "Xavier's Tyrique Jones expanding his game, not his waistline this offseason". The Athletic. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Broering, Rick (October 15, 2017). "Mack: One of my favorite Xavier players is Tyrique Jones". 247 Sports. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  8. ^ "Scruggs, Jones lead Xavier to 91–85 win over Evansville". ESPN. Associated Press. November 10, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  9. ^ "Roach scores 21 to lead Texas past Xavier 78–76 in OT". ESPN. Associated Press. March 24, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  10. ^ Baum, Adam (April 10, 2019). "Xavier Musketeers forward Tyrique Jones declares for the 2019 NBA Draft". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Russell, Shannon (November 23, 2019). "'That's what seniors do': Tyrique Jones' gutsy effort propels Xavier to thrilling 2OT win". The Athletic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "DePaul stuns Xavier in first round of Big East Tourney". ESPN. Associated Press. March 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  13. ^ Clark, Dave (March 26, 2020). "Tyrique Jones, Jarron Cumberland, Lamont West among 50 ranked seniors ahead of NBA Draft". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  14. ^ Baum, Adam (March 8, 2020). "Xavier basketball players honored on All-Big East Conference teams". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  15. ^ Baum, Adam (September 21, 2020). "Former Xavier big man Tyrique Jones signs with Korean professional team". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  16. ^ "Hapoel Tel Aviv adds Tyrique Jones". Sportando. December 31, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Israel basketball stats, results, box score, scout report and video online | Scouting4U".
  18. ^ "Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro announces Tyrique Jones". Sportando. August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "İtalya'nın ribaund kralı Telekom'da" (in Turkish). basketfaul. July 23, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  20. ^ "Crno-bela simfonija: Nova energija i duh tradicije Partizana na ulasku u sezonu 2024-25". Partizan.basketball (in Serbian). August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  21. ^ "Partizan completes Tyrique Jones signing". EuroLeagueBasketball.net. August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  22. ^ Russell, Shannon (March 4, 2017). "Xavier freshman Tyrique Jones answers nine questions about life and hoops for Shannon Russell". WCPO-TV. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  23. ^ Baum, Adam (October 13, 2018). "The phone call Tyrique Jones makes before every Xavier University men's basketball game". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 18, 2020.