AMES, Iowa –– Curtis Jones describes himself as “sort of a pleasant man.” Gracious sufficient to reply each single cellphone name in the course of the hubbub of the switch portal. Self-aware sufficient to confess how cool it’s that Corridor of Fame Kansas coach Invoice Self dubbed Jones a “first-team All-American” after he erupted for a game-high 25 factors in No. 2 Iowa State’s 74-57 win over the ninth-ranked Jayhawks on Wednesday evening.
Jones’ introspection speaks volumes. He is seemingly tried to maintain the whole lot about his character the identical as his sport, profile and platform fully rework into one thing he by no means may have predicted.
In one other life, Jones was a 6-foot-3, 160-pound taking pictures guard out of the Twin Cities who had zero Division I or Division II affords. Certain, he was blessed with a silky-smooth jumper (Jones says he may shoot since he got here out of the womb), however guys with that kind of construct are a dime a dozen in the highschool ranks.
“I wasn’t actually a participant,” Jones instructed CBS Sports activities. “I did not move the attention check. Plenty of instances, folks wish to see somebody dunking and flying, that may catch. The way in which I play, I may not catch your eye. It isn’t as flashy. Plus, I used to be tremendous skinny.”
For a big chunk of his senior season at Cretin-Derham Corridor in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jones was solely centered on one faculty: Iowa Western Group Faculty. However when his cellphone notification pinged that Hank Plona, the then-coach at Indian Hills, adopted him on Twitter, Jones rapidly turned his sights towards one of many high junior school applications within the nation. Even with out a committable supply from Indian Hills, Jones turned down Iowa Western and waited.
“All my chips had been on Indian Hills,” Jones says. “I acquired blessed that he supplied me a scholarship. At that age, I used to be attempting to be cool and inform him in per week and my mother was like, ‘Nah, you are going to inform them sure proper now.'”
Plona modified Jones’ place to get extra reps taking part in with the ball in his fingers. He nearly all the time knew which buttons to press to unlock a special and higher model of Jones, together with a point-blank dialog the place he requested Jones if he was recruited to Indian Hills to redshirt.
Jones did not suppose so.
Plona agreed.
“It’s important to begin performing prefer it,” Jones recollects. “He instructed me I used to be completely different. After that, we did not have a gathering like that once more. He did loads for me.”
Jones parlayed a robust season at Indian Hills into a possibility at Buffalo the place he confirmed a number of flashes in 12 months 1 and reworked into the Bulls’ main scorer in 12 months 2.
Jones’ cellphone erupted when he entered the portal with two years of eligibility remaining. Jones was not extremely regarded in switch portal rankings, however that did not cease high-major coaches from knocking at his door left and proper. It was a far cry from his highschool recruiting expertise.
Iowa State ultimately gained out because of T.J. Otzelberger’s consistency, power and pitch. As is custom in Jones’ basketball journey, he was rock-solid in 12 months 1 at Iowa State. However he is reworked into a good higher model of himself as a fifth-year senior.
Jones is averaging a career-best 17.3 factors per sport for an Iowa State membership that appears each bit the a part of a top-tier nationwide championship contender. Jones owns some of the unguardable floaters within the nation whereas taking pictures 39% from downtown.
Oh, and Jones’ treys aren’t regular. They arrive from the parking zone.
In a means, Jones embodies a bit of little bit of what makes this Iowa State group particular. Tamin Lipsey was only a three-star recruit. Keshon Gilbert was only a three-star recruit. The truth is, Iowa State’s go-to lineup towards Kansas of Lipsey, Gilbert, Jones, Joshua Jefferson and Dishon Jackson options 5 (!) former three-star recruits.
“Their analysis in recruiting has been super,” Self mentioned. “Perhaps [Iowa State athletic director] Jamie [Pollard] acquired them a lot NIL that they will go get anyone, however the items match.”
After Jones’ eruption towards Kansas, he is now ninth in kenpom.com‘s Nationwide Participant of the 12 months scores. And with a taking pictures stroke like that, the NBA‘s curiosity is most definitely piqued.
If this skyrocketing emergence is simply an excessive amount of, Jones definitely is not exhibiting it. These junior school roots aren’t leaving any time quickly.
“Indian Hills meant a lot to me,” Jones mentioned. “I used to be by no means it like, ‘I am at JUCO, this sucks.’ I used to be grateful to be there as a result of I knew what it may do for me. I am unable to say I knew I used to be going to be right here, although.”