Mark Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mark Vernon Jones (1961-11-16)November 16, 1961 (age 64) Toronto, Canada |
| Alma mater | York University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Television | ABC andESPN (1990–present) The Sports Network (1986–1990) |
Mark Vernon Jones (born November 16, 1961)[1] is a Canadiansportscaster forABC andESPN and the primary play-by-play announcer forSacramento Kings games onNBC Sports California. Jones has been a member of the ESPN broadcasting family since 1990.[2] Before then Jones worked forThe Sports Network (TSN) in Canada. He mostly workscollege football andNBA games on ABC and ESPN.
Mark Vernon Jones was born on November 16, 1961.[3]
Jones attendedYork University and played basketball. He led the team to threeOntario Universities Athletics Association (OUAA) championships in 1981, 1984 and 1985. During his career, Jones was one of the top players in the OUAA, earning conference second-team all-star honours in 1984 and 1985. In 1986, he finished his career with a first-team all-star nod. A prolific guard for the Yeomen, Jones still ranks in the program's top five all-time in total assists and steals. He was inducted into the York's Sport Hall of Fame in 2016.[4]
Before Jones assumed his current roles at ESPN, he worked forThe Sports Network (TSN) in Canada from 1986 to 1990 as an anchor and hosted aToronto Blue Jays magazine show.
Jones began his ESPN career as the host of the weekly NBA show, theNBA Today. He would usually end the show by shooting an imaginary basketball into the air as the studio lights went off. Jones currently doesplay-by-play on NBA games paired with any one of ESPN's current NBA game analysts likeJon Barry,Hubie Brown,Jay Bilas,P.J. Carlesimo,Doris Burke, andBob Myers. Jones has worked NBA games in the past withBill Walton until Walton left NBA coverage during the 2009–10 season and also withDoug Collins. He was the primary host ofKIA NBA Shootaround, the network's pregame show. On the program, he engaged Walton andStephen A. Smith in topical debates about issues in the NBA. Jones has done some sideline reporting for NBA games.
Until 2023, Jones was the lead play-by-play announcer on ABC'sNBA Sunday Showcase with Doris Burke. He also is on ESPN'scollege football, where he teams up with analystLouis Riddick on the network's coverage on ESPN,ESPN2 or ABC. He formerly called men's SEC college basketball games on Saturday with analystKara Lawson. He has also done play-by-play and/or reporting for women'scollege basketball, theWNBA, and theNHL.
Jones has also occasionally served as an anchor/reporter forSportsCenter. He has contributed to NBA All-Star Weekend (Celebrity Game), NBA Draft Lottery, and also to the network's NBA Draft coverage.
He is the younger brother ofPaul Jones, the radio play-by-play voice of theToronto Raptors.
In September 2020, Jones made headlines with his outspoken support for theBlack Lives Matter movement on Twitter.[5]
Jones was named the primary TV play-by-play announcer for theSacramento Kings in 2020.[6]
On March 11, 2022, ESPN announced a multi-year extension for Jones.
On May 29, 2022, Jones filled in for ESPN's lead NBA play–by–play announcerMike Breen for the deciding Eastern Conference Final Game 7 between theBoston Celtics andMiami Heat. Breen had to sit out of the broadcast alongside commentatorsJeff Van Gundy andMark Jackson due to a positiveCOVID test.[7] Jones also called the first two games of theNBA Finals featuring the Celtics andGolden State Warriors in Breen's absence.