Robert Clyde "Bobby"Jones (born December 18, 1951) is an American former professionalbasketball player who played for theDenver Nuggets in theAmerican Basketball Association (ABA) and thePhiladelphia 76ers in theNational Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Secretary of Defense", Jones won anNBA championship with the 76ers in1983, was a four-timeNBA All-Star, a nine-time member of theNBA All-Defensive Team, and was theNBA Sixth Man of the Year in1983. In 2019, Jones was elected to theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[1][2]
Jones was born inAkron, Ohio, but he and his family were constantly on the move.[3] When he was in the sixth grade, they moved toCharlotte, North Carolina, where they settled down.[4] He grew up in a family that valued sports. His father J.R., aWorld War II veteran who had served in Japan, had played on the1947 Oklahoma Sooners national championship runner-up team and later on became a nationally ranked tennis player. His mother Hazel was a dominant high school athlete in basketball and tennis. Older brother Kirby was an All-State cager and later a Sooner who was also a state champion in tennis.[5]
As a kid, Jones often spent his days watching television, describing himself as a "couch potato".[6] J.R. then made him play on the church's league basketball team. When he was in sixth grade, his father built a basketball ring. When his father was away working forGoodyear, he would assign them drills to work on.[4] One of those drills was shooting right-handed, despite being left-handed.[7] He would do his drills during commercials, then return to watching his programs.[8] Eventually, he grew to enjoy these drills.[4] As he got better at basketball, it became a way for him to socialize in high school and gain self-esteem.[9][10]
Jones attendedSouth Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, where he was a member of the basketball team and the track and field team.[11] His brother Kirby had also previously played for South Mecklenburg before playing for the Oklahoma Sooners.[12]
Jones preferred track and field more, because he could practice by himself on his own terms. He was a two-time state champion in thehigh jump, finishing second his junior year toBob McAdoo.[12] As a senior, Jones broke the state record by clearing the bar at a height of 6 feet, 8 inches.[13] Despite his track and field success, his father pushed him to pursue basketball.[14]
In basketball, during his junior year, Jones earned Charlotte's Player of the Year Award and led South Mecklenburg into the state playoffs, where his squad lost to Greensboro Ben L. Smith that starred Bob McAdoo.[13] In his senior year, Jones led South Mecklenburg to the 1970NCHSAA 4A state title and was also named MVP of the state championship game.[15] Still, with all of his success as a cager, Jones did not think much about a future in basketball, but decided to pursue a basketball scholarship for free education.[14]
He was recruited by theUniversity of North Carolina,Duke University, andFlorida.[7] He also had interest inDavidson College, as he regularly attended their games.[4] His family also tried to convince him to play forOklahoma, but it was too far for him.[8]
Jones ended up playing forDean Smith at UNC.[16] He chose UNC as he connected with the coaching staff, which includedBill Guthridge andJohn Lotz.[7] He didn't play as a freshman, per NCAA eligibility rules at the time.[17] Instead, he learned defensive skills from Smith and Guthridge.[5]
As a sophomore, he shot an ACC single-season record 66.8% from the floor while averaging 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds and helped UNC get into the Final Four.[8][18] There they fell to theFlorida State Seminoles.[19]
After his time with the U.S. national team, he started the gesture of pointing to teammates, whether he made the shot or not. Coach Smith called it "The Bobby Jones Rule", as a way of appreciating their teammates.[20] In his junior season, he averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.[18]
TheAmerican Basketball Association (ABA)'sCarolina Cougars selected Jones after his junior season in the 1973 Special Circumstances Draft, but he wanted to finish his psychology degree and polish his game, so he returned to North Carolina for his senior year while the Cougars held on to his ABA rights.[3][14] For his senior year, he was named co-captain of the team.[10]
He turned in anAll-America campaign in 1973–74, averaging 16.1 points and 9.8 rebounds.[18] He turned in memorable performances against Duke that season, including a clutch steal and game-winning layup against them in March.[7] On UNC's "Senior Day", he contributed four points in the clutch as the team scored eight straight points to tie the game and eventually win in overtime 96–92.[21][4] He finished that game with 24 points.[22] Jones ended his career with averages of 13.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 60.8% from the field, and graduated with his psychology degree.[23][14]
Jones was selected by theHouston Rockets with the fifth overall pick in the1974 NBA draft.[24] Meanwhile, the Cougars franchise (now known as theSpirits of St. Louis), still held onto his ABA draft rights.[3] Former Carolina CoachLarry Brown had moved on to theDenver Nuggets, and he was determined on acquiring him.[18] The Nuggets acquired his rights from St. Louis in exchange for the rights toMarvin Barnes.[25] With two leagues he could play for, he decided to join Denver, as he would have more playing time there.[3]
With Brown's coaching and Jones in the frontcourt, Denver went 65–19 in 1974–75, a franchise record and 28 more wins than the previous season.[26] Jones shot .604 from the floor for an ABA record, scored 14.8 points per game, and won a spot on the ABA All-Rookie Team.[27] However, they lost to theIndiana Pacers in the western division finals.[28]
In the1975–76 season, the ABA's final season, Jones averaged 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks, and once again topped the league in field-goal percentage. He also played in the1976 ABA All-Star Game, where he scored 24 points with 10 rebounds, and was named to the All-ABA Second Team.[29][27] The Nuggets, with starsDavid Thompson andDan Issel, finished with a league-best 60–24 record, although they lost to theNew York Nets in theFinals.[24]
Jones transitioned to the NBA with theABA–NBA merger in 1976, as did the rest of the Nuggets. In the1976–77 season, Denver won theMidwest Division.[30] He averaged a career-high 15.1 points and 8.3 rebounds with a .570 field-goal percentage, and started in his firstNBA All-Star Game alongside Thompson and Issel.[31][32] He also outpolled all other players in earning the first of eight straight selections to theNBA All-Defensive First Team, as he had the best defensive rating in the league.[5] They lost to the eventual champions thePortland Trail Blazers in the semis.[33]
The following season Jones averaged 14.5 points, elevated his field-goal percentage to a league-leading .578, and returned to theAll-Star Game.[34][31][35] Denver won their division once again.[36] However, due to thephenobarbital he was taking for his epilepsy, his performance dipped in the playoffs, and they were eliminated in six games by theSeattle Supersonics in the Western Conference finals.[37]
Nuggets management feared Jones would be limited by his health problems, as his epilepsy was getting worse throughout the season.[37] This would be his final season in Denver. He finished his career in Denver with averages of 14.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 2.0 steals per game.[33] He currently sits at #7 on the all-time steals list, and #4 on the all-time blocks list.[38]
After the1977–78 campaign Jones was traded to thePhiladelphia 76ers alongsideRalph Simpson for forwardGeorge McGinnis with both teams exchanging draft picks and both Jones and McGinnis waiving their no-trade clauses.[34] The trade came with a clause that should Jones be disabled due to epilepsy, the 76ers would receive a draft pick.[37] There he joined a team that was coached by another UNC alum,Billy Cunningham.[4] On March 7, 1979, he scored a career-high 33 points.[39] That season, they won 47 games as he averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, and led the league in field goal percentage. He was also selected to the First-Team All-Defense once again.[5][40]
Primarily a starter during his four seasons with the Nuggets, Jones made another transition after his first year with the Sixers. Coach Cunningham thought Jones would be best utilized as a sixth man, coming off the bench for the frontlineJulius Erving,Darryl Dawkins, andCaldwell Jones. Cunningham was worried that the change would devastate Jones, but it took Jones about half a minute to agree to the coach's plan.[41]
Beginning with the1979–80 campaign, Jones still averaged about 25 minutes. He also scored 14.4 points in his first season off the bench, his highest scoring average in his time with the Sixers. They won the Eastern conference championship but lost in the1980 NBA Finals to theLos Angeles Lakers in six games that season.[5]
He returned to the NBA All-Star Game in 1981 as he was voted in by the coaches.[41] Their season ended on a one-point loss to theBoston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.[5]
In1981–82, Bobby Jones briefly returned to the starting lineup for that season, starting 73 games.[42] He was an All-Star again that season.[43] They avenged their loss to the Celtics the previous season in an Eastern Conference finals rematch, but lost once again to the Lakers in six games.[44]
The arrival of star centerMoses Malone from Houston for Caldwell prior to the1982–83 campaign was seen as a gamechanger for the Sixers' title hopes.[8] In the regular season, they went on a 14-game win streak, and won 65 games.[5] He finished the season third in the league in defensive box plus-minus.[42]
In the playoffs, the 76ers began with a sweep of theNew York Knicks, although each game was decided by fewer than 10 points.[20] In game one of the conference finals, theMilwaukee Bucks led by 109–108 with one minute 36 seconds to go in overtime.Alton Lister of the Bucks tried to inbound the ball but Jones stole the pass and flipped the ball toClint Richardson. Richardson scored on a dunk to send the 76ers ahead 110–109.[45] APhiladelphia Inquirer article on Jones paraphrased the famousJohn Havlicek call byJohnny Most stating, "Bobby Jones stole the ball. It was grand larceny. Bobby Jones stole the ball and robbed theMilwaukee Bucks of a game, turning an almost-sure upset into a 111–109 overtime victory for the 76ers."[46] In Game 2, he had a crucial block onBrian Winters that helped seal the win for the 76ers.[16]
After a Game 4 loss to Milwaukee, Philadelphia then swept through the rest of the playoffs, eventually sweeping the Lakers in the1983 NBA Finals.[20] After the season ended, Jones won the first-everNBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.[20] From the Eastern Conference finals to theNBA Finals, he averaged 1.7 steals and 1.9 blocks.[47]
The Sixers began a steady decline after that championship year, finishing second toBoston the next three seasons. Jones turned in steady defense and solid numbers[according to whom?] during those years, although his playing time and production tailed off gradually. Still, he was as efficient as ever. In the1985–86 season, Jones shot .559 from the floor, but only averaged 6.6 points per game despite returning to the starting lineup. That season, they were eliminated by the Bucks in the playoffs.[48] He retired at age 34, and the Sixers retired his uniform No. 24 shortly afterward on November 7, 1986.[48][49]
In his 12-year professional career, Jones had multiple selections to theNBA All-Defensive First Team; the first-everNBA Sixth Man Award; membership on the ABA All-Rookie Team; four appearances in theNBA All-Star Game and one in the ABA All-Star Game; and anNBA Championship with thePhiladelphia 76ers, in 1983.[50][51] Throughout his career, he averaged 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds, and his teams never missed the playoffs.[52][7]
In 1972, tryouts for theU.S. Olympic Team were about to be held. Jones was not invited to the trials at first, so he attended summer school. WhenDean Smith heard that a couple of players were declining invitations as a form of protest, he got in touch with Jones.[53] After making sure Jones was healthy (as he was recovering from a seizure at the time) he invited him to the tryouts.[37] Jones made the team, and quit summer school. He started all but one game due to a finger injury.[53] He played only five minutes in theSoviet Union's controversial win over the United States in thegold medal game.[14]
Jones is known as a versatile defensive player. Although listed as a power forward, he often guarded the other team's best small forward.[5] In college, he could guard big men and guards.[33] He was also known for being athletic, which helped him deny the ball and box out for rebounds.[5][4]
A personal goal of his was to get at least 100 blocks and 100 steals every season, which he achieved six times.[5] Jones is one of only seven players in both NBA and ABA history to total at least 1,300 blocks and 1,300 steals, with averages of 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks.[52][54] In his NBA career, he made the top 20 in defensive rating six times.[5] He made the ABA andNBA All-Defensive Team in almost every season he played, with his final NBA season being the only season he did not make any All-Defensive Team.[54] He credits his time at North Carolina for his development on defense.[9]
Jones was not seen as a scorer, averaging 12.1 points per game in his career and scoring more than 30 points in a game only four times. When teams left him open however, he could make shots.[39] Although he is not a three-point shooter (he shot 0-for-17 in his NBA career), he could make shots consistently from the elbow.[7] At 6'9", he was also great at running fast breaks.[55] Those skills, along with being an ambidextrous finisher and being smart with his shot selection, helped give him a career field goal percentage of 56%.[7] He never shot below 52% in any season of his career.[33] His field goal percentage of 59.2 is the ABA's all-time record.[1] He also rarely turned the ball over.[55]
Although he had the skills to be a starter, Jones often came off the bench.[56] This was good for him as it allowed him to scout the opposition and conserve energy for late-game situations.[20] It also helped his physical condition, as he was taking medication for his epilepsy at the time.[50] It was only in his first three seasons in the league that he averaged more than 30 minutes per game, while he averaged 25 minutes per game with the 76ers.[54]
Jones has been lauded for his selfless mentality and the intense effort he gave in games. "If I was going to ask a youngster to model after someone, I would pick Bobby Jones." said longtime 76ers teammateJulius Erving, "He's a player who's totally selfless, who runs like a deer, jumps like a gazelle, plays with his head and heart each night, and then walks away from the court as if nothing happened."[57][14] Opponents called him "one of the toughest to play against".[20] He was a part of 595 wins throughout his career from the ABA to the NBA, almost twice the number of games he lost.[5]
Jones was always honest and polite with referees. He would admit to referees if he was the one who sent the ball out of bounds or if he had fouled a player, even if it didn't help the team in the moment.[58]Larry Brown, Jones's coach with theDenver Nuggets, remarked, "Watching Bobby Jones on the basketball court is like watching an honest man in a liars’ poker game."[2] As a result, referees would respect him and more calls would go their way.[59] RefereeJoey Crawford said that Jones "was the most polite player" he ever dealt with.[60] In his Naismith Hall of Fame speech, he gave credit to the referees.[20]
In his entire career, Jones was never called for a technical foul.[7] He was aggressive when he needed to foul, but he never did it to be seen as dirty.[14][3]
| 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 | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–75 | Denver (ABA) | 84* | — | 32.2 | .604* | .000 | .695 | 8.2 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 14.8 |
| 1975–76 | Denver (ABA) | 83 | — | 34.3 | .581* | — | .698 | 9.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 14.9 |
| 1976–77 | Denver (NBA) | 82 | 82 | 29.5 | .570 | — | .717 | 8.3 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 15.1 |
| 1977–78 | Denver (NBA) | 75 | — | 32.5 | .578* | — | .751 | 8.5 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 14.5 |
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 80 | 78 | 28.8 | .537 | — | .755 | 6.6 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 12.1 |
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 81 | 3 | 26.2 | .532 | .000 | .781 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 13.0 |
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 81 | 0 | 25.3 | .539 | .000 | .813 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 1.2 | .9 | 13.5 |
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 76 | 73 | 28.7 | .564 | .000 | .790 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 14.4 |
| 1982–83† | Philadelphia (NBA) | 74 | 0 | 23.6 | .543 | .000 | .793 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 9.0 |
| 1983–84 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 75 | 0 | 23.5 | .523 | .000 | .784 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 8.3 |
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 80 | 8 | 20.4 | .538 | .000 | .861 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .6 | 7.5 |
| 1985–86 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 70 | 42 | 21.7 | .559 | .000 | .786 | 2.4 | 1.8 | .7 | .7 | 7.0 |
| Career | 941 | 286 | 27.3 | .560 | .000 | .766 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 12.1 | |
| All-Star | 4 | 1 | 22.8 | .486 | .000 | .714 | 8.0 | 2.3 | .5 | .8 | 11.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–75 | Denver (ABA) | 13 | — | 32.9 | .535 | .000 | .775 | 8.5 | 2.9 | .9 | .9 | 13.0 |
| 1975–76 | Denver (ABA) | 13 | — | 33.2 | .583 | — | .732 | 8.6 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 13.7 |
| 1976–77 | Denver (NBA) | 6 | — | 31.2 | .484 | — | .588 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 12.0 |
| 1977–78 | Denver (NBA) | 13 | — | 30.0 | .569 | — | .739 | 7.8 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .7 | 12.8 |
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 9 | — | 28.9 | .552 | — | .846 | 4.8 | 2.1 | .6 | .4 | 13.1 |
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 18 | — | 26.1 | .523 | .000 | .855 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 12.9 |
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 16 | — | 27.7 | .506 | — | .830 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 14.7 |
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 21 | — | 28.0 | .540 | — | .840 | 4.7 | 2.5 | .7 | 1.0 | 12.2 |
| 1982–83† | Philadelphia (NBA) | 12 | — | 27.0 | .551 | .000 | .850 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 8.6 |
| 1983–84 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 5 | — | 26.0 | .484 | — | .947 | 4.6 | 1.8 | .6 | 1.4 | 9.6 |
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 13 | 11 | 23.8 | .590 | — | .700 | 3.7 | 1.2 | .9 | 1.5 | 8.2 |
| 1985–86 | Philadelphia (NBA) | 12 | 5 | 27.4 | .527 | .000 | .760 | 2.7 | 2.8 | .8 | 1.3 | 9.7 |
| Career | 151 | 286 | 28.4 | .540 | .000 | .800 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 11.9 | |
In 1988, Billy Cunningham, who had just helped establish theMiami Heat, attempted to persuade him to play for them. After a physical and a scrimmage, he decided against returning.[58] TheCharlotte Hornets also tried to hire him as their general manager, but he turned them down.[8]
Jones endorsedNike throughout his career. In 1982, Jones was one of the first athletes to wear Nike'sAir Force 1 sneakers.[62] Nike also made a marketing campaign around him, which included a poster that dubbed him "The Secretary of Defense".[22][63]
After retiring, Jones became a public speaker. He speaks at churches and schools, both local and international.[64][65] He also stays in touch with the 76ers organization and is often invited to speak to the team.[8][50]
In 2003, Jones cofounded aCharlotte,North Carolina–based religiously affiliated non-profit, 2xsalt, that supports underprivileged youth through sports, along withBart Kofoed and former teammateDavid Thompson.[19][66]
Jones has coached several school basketball teams in the Charlotte area includingCharlotte Christian School for 12 years, where he won three state titles. He then became an assistant coach at Carmel Christian School.[67] At Carmel Christian, he also coached their tennis team, held basketball clinics there, and was their summer camp coordinator.[50][65] He also coachedMyers Park High School and the South Charlotte Thunder.[3][68]
Jones is married and he and his wife have three children and seven grandchildren.[53][4] They live inGreensboro, North Carolina.[37] One of his sons, Eric, played for UNC's junior varsity team.[17]
Jones suffers occasionalepileptic seizures, which requires medication.[37] His first seizure occurred when he was a sophomore at UNC after an intramural volleyball game. At the time, he was misdiagnosed withpericarditis, an inflammation of the heart sac. He experienced three more seizures from 1976 to 1978. In 1978, stricken by a seizure in his kitchen one day, Jones fell onto abutcher block and gashed open his head. The incident nearly led him to quit basketball. After he was traded to Philadelphia, he vowed to be more open about his diagnosis to break the stigma surrounding epilepsy.[37] His perseverance earned him Philadelphia's Most Courageous Athlete Award in 1984, which he dedicated to his wife, Tess.[69] He also suffered from a heart ailment, but after he was traded to Philadelphia, it never reoccurred again.[20]
Jones is a devout Christian. He grew up attending a Baptist church and devoted his life to Christ when he was in college.[5] He said that the Bible affected how he played basketball, as it commanded followers to give their best in everything they did.[14] When a computer-generated ranking sponsored bySeagram Distillers rated Jones the NBA's "most consistent and productive player" in 1977, he donated the $10,000 prize to religious charities.[70]Pat Williams, the general manager of the 76ers at the time, credited him for helping establish pregame chapel services, which all NBA teams still do to this day.[71][72] Throughout his ordeal with epilepsy, he credits his faith for helping him get through it.[37] He is also active with Christian ministries such as theFellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) andAthletes in Action.[73][74]Cody Zeller credited Jones for helping him transition to the NBA as a spiritual mentor to him.[19]Charles Barkley said of Jones, "If everyone in the world was like Bobby Jones, the world wouldn't have any problems."[75]
The Sixers retired the No. 24 jersey in 1986. During his entire tenure with the Sixers, Jones' jersey always included the letter B with a period before his last name (B. JONES) above his number 24; he still wore it even after former teammateCaldwell Jones was traded forMoses Malone in 1982 and Caldwell's brotherCharles left after only one season with the Sixers (1983–84). However, during the 2008 season, as part of the Sixers' 25th anniversary of the 1983 champions, he was given a framed replica jersey that simply states his last name without the letter B, since he was the only Sixer named Jones to play on the 1983 team.[citation needed] In 2018, a statue of him was unveiled at the Sixers' training complex. It shows him diving for a loose ball.[56]
In May 1989, Jones was inducted into North Carolina's Sports Hall of Fame.[76] On November 11, 2010, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.[77] In 2015, he was inducted into the FCA's Hall of Fame.[78] On April 6, 2019, he was elected to theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[1][2] He was inducted on September 6, 2019, with an introduction from Julius Erving andCharles Barkley, who filled in for his coach Billy Cunningham and David Thompson.[58] In 2021, he was inducted into South Mecklenburg's first-ever Hall of Fame.[13]
On January 28, 2020Joel Embiid requested and was granted permission by Jones to wear his retired jersey number 24 for the Sixers, in honor of the lateKobe Bryant.[79]
In 2008,Athletes in Action named an award after him, the Bobby Jones Award, which recognizes an NBA player "who lives an exemplary life on the basketball court, in the home and in the community".[74][80]
· Basketball ReferenceLinks to related articles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
