 Jones, circa 1963 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-10-17)October 17, 1942 Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 25, 2017(2017-11-25) (aged 75) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Franklin (Portland, Oregon) |
| College | Oregon (1961–1964) |
| NBA draft | 1964:undrafted |
| Playing career | 1967–1976 |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Number | 12, 11, 23, 15 |
| Career history | |
| 1967–1968 | Oakland Oaks |
| 1968–1971 | New Orleans Buccaneers /Memphis Pros |
| 1971–1973 | Dallas Chaparrals |
| 1973–1974 | Carolina Cougars |
| 1974 | Denver Rockets |
| 1974–1975 | Spirits of St. Louis |
| 1975–1976 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Stephen Howard "Snapper"Jones Sr. (October 17, 1942 – November 25, 2017) was an Americanbasketball player in theAmerican Basketball Association (ABA) andNational Basketball Association (NBA), and later a television analyst. He was a three-timeABA All-Star. Jones' brotherNick also played in the ABA and NBA.[1] During his time in the ABA, Jones picked up the moniker "Snapper" but he never revealed how it came to be.[2]
Jones was born inAlexandria, Louisiana, but grew up inPortland, Oregon, where he ledFranklin High School to the state basketball championship in 1959. He went on to a standout career at theUniversity of Oregon, pacing theDucks in scoring during the 1963–64 season.[3]
Jones earnedABA All-Star honors three times during eightABA seasons, averaging 16.0 points while scoring over 10,000 points in 640 games. Jones played for theOakland Oaks (1967–68),New Orleans Buccaneers/Memphis Pros (1968–1971),Dallas Chaparrals (1971–1973),Carolina Cougars (1973–1974),Denver Rockets (1974) andSpirits of St. Louis (1974–1975). Jones was a three time ABA All Star, shot 34% from three-point range and never in his career had a technical foul called against him.
Jones then jumped leagues and finished his professional playing career in the NBA out with thePortland Trail Blazers in1975–76.
Jones' broadcasting career began in1976 (the season after he retired as a player with the Portland Trail Blazers), when he became a color commentator forCBS. He was part of the network's crew that handled the Blazers championship game against thePhiladelphia 76ers. He also served as color analyst for the Blazers that year and stayed on into the 1990s. Jones' other broadcasting credits include stints withTNT,TBS,USA Network and theDenver Nuggets. Jones joinedNBC shortly after the network obtained the rights to telecast NBA games prior to the1990–91 season.
After serving as an analyst onThe NBA on NBC for 13 years, Jones then worked the same position forNBA TV.
One of Jones' career highlights was his assignment as basketball analyst withChick Hearn andJim Durham inBarcelona, as part of the NBC coverage of men's basketball during the1992 Olympic Games. In that capacity he worked the equivalent of almost one-half of an NBA season, 36 games, in just two weeks.
When he worked at NBC, Jones was typically paired up with former NBA teammateBill Walton for NBA games due to the point-counterpoint style of banter between the two. He gained notoriety while announcing with Bill Walton for reining in his verbose outbursts, often responding to Walton's sometimes sensational statements with phrases such as "Bill, you can't be serious..." Though they typically argued and disagreed during games, the two had a mutual respect for each other and remained good friends. They reunited on Walton's short-lived TV showBill Walton's Long Strange Trip.
Jones' health began declining in 2005 when he suffered anappendicitis attack while on assignment in New York. His younger brother, Nick Jones stated, "My brother was a very strong guy. He fought for life for a long time."[2]
Jones died on November 25, 2017, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 75.[3][2] His older brother Roman had died earlier the same week. He was survived by his younger brother, Nick Jones, his mother and sisters, his wife Carol, two daughters, and a son, Steve Jones Jr.[2][4]
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