Popeye Jones
Encyclopedia
Ronald Jerome "Popeye" Jones (born June 17, 1970 in Dresden, Tennessee
) is a retired American
professional basketball
player in the NBA
. He is now an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets
.
Jones played college basketball
for Murray State University
. He finished his college career as a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference
selection and was named OVC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Jones was honored as the OVC's Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 1992. He is one of only seven MSU men's basketball players to have his jersey retired, his number 54 hangs in the rafters of the Regional Special Events Center
in Murray, Kentucky
. Jones ranks fourth on MSU's all-time scoring list with 2,057 points. He is also MSU's all-time leader in rebounds with 1,374, and led the nation in that category in the 1990-91 season. He is the only player in MSU history to record more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
After college, he was selected by the Houston Rockets
in the second round (41st overall) of the 1992 NBA Draft
but his rights were traded to the Dallas Mavericks
in exchange for former University of Michigan
center
Eric Riley
's draft rights. After playing professionally in Europe for a season, he played for the Mavericks for three seasons until being shipped to the Toronto Raptors
for Riley's former Michigan Wolverines teammate, shooting guard
Jimmy King
. In addition, he has also played with the Boston Celtics
, Denver Nuggets
, Washington Wizards
and Golden State Warriors
. He also had a second stint with the Mavericks during the 2002-03 season, but played in only 26 of 82 games.
His best season was in 1995-96 with the Mavericks when he averaged 11.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while making 14 of 39 three-point attempts. This was an improvement on the previous year, when he averaged 10.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. He holds career per game averages of 7.0 points and 7.4 rebounds.
He once secured 28 rebounds in a single game for the Mavericks in the 1995-96 campaign, still a team record.
Jones' son, Seth, is a promising hockey prospect who was drafted in the 1st round of the 2009 WHL
Bantam Draft. He was taken 11th overall by the Everett Silvertips
.
Dresden, Tennessee
Dresden is a town in and the county seat of Weakley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,855 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dresden is located at ....
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He is now an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Jones played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
. He finished his college career as a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
selection and was named OVC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Jones was honored as the OVC's Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 1992. He is one of only seven MSU men's basketball players to have his jersey retired, his number 54 hangs in the rafters of the Regional Special Events Center
Regional Special Events Center
The CFSB Center is a 8,600 seat arena located in Murray, Kentucky near the intersection of Ky. 121 and U.S. 641. The arena is the home of the Murray State Racers Basketball teams...
in Murray, Kentucky
Murray, Kentucky
Murray is a city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 17,741 at the 2010 census and has a micropolitan area population of 37,191. It is the 22nd largest city in Kentucky...
. Jones ranks fourth on MSU's all-time scoring list with 2,057 points. He is also MSU's all-time leader in rebounds with 1,374, and led the nation in that category in the 1990-91 season. He is the only player in MSU history to record more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
After college, he was selected by the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in the second round (41st overall) of the 1992 NBA Draft
1992 NBA Draft
The 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
but his rights were traded to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in exchange for former University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Eric Riley
Eric Riley
Eric Riley is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft. Riley played for the Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics in five NBA seasons, averaging 3.1...
's draft rights. After playing professionally in Europe for a season, he played for the Mavericks for three seasons until being shipped to the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
for Riley's former Michigan Wolverines teammate, shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Jimmy King
Jimmy King
Jimmy Hal King is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-College career:He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with Ray Jackson, current NBA player Juwan Howard, and former NBA players Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, that reached the 1992 and...
. In addition, he has also played with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
and Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He also had a second stint with the Mavericks during the 2002-03 season, but played in only 26 of 82 games.
His best season was in 1995-96 with the Mavericks when he averaged 11.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while making 14 of 39 three-point attempts. This was an improvement on the previous year, when he averaged 10.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. He holds career per game averages of 7.0 points and 7.4 rebounds.
He once secured 28 rebounds in a single game for the Mavericks in the 1995-96 campaign, still a team record.
Jones' son, Seth, is a promising hockey prospect who was drafted in the 1st round of the 2009 WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
Bantam Draft. He was taken 11th overall by the Everett Silvertips
Everett Silvertips
The Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear...
.
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
External links
- College & NBA stats @ basketballreference.com