Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1984)

Bobby Jones Jr.
Born	(1984-01-09) January 9, 1984 United States
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Years active	2006–2015 (as per last mentioned season)

Bobby Ray Jones Jr. (born January 9, 1984) is a professional basketball player originally from the United States who later obtained Equatorial Guinean nationality. His most recent team was Scaligera Basket competing in Italy's Serie A2. During the 2007–08 NBA campaign, he made history by representing five different franchises before moving on to continue his career in the Italian leagues.

College career

Jones spent three years playing high school basketball at Dominguez in Compton, California, where he was teammates with Tyson Chandler. For his senior year, he transferred to Long Beach Polytechnic amid controversy surrounding coach Mack Calvin's nomination.

In May 2002, he committed to the University of Washington Huskies, competing within the Pacific-10 Conference of NCAA Division I. As a freshman, Jones participated in 27 games, starting 15, and averaged 4.1 rebounds per contest. His sophomore season saw him start 25 of 31 games while contributing an average of 11.2 points each game. During his junior year, he started 33 out of 34 matches, maintaining averages of 11.2 points and leading the team with 5.6 rebounds, playing a key role in Washington securing their first-ever Pac-10 tournament championship.

In his final collegiate season, Jones posted averages of 10.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He concluded his college tenure ranked twentieth on Washington’s all-time scoring list with 1,226 points and fourth in steals with 134. His college career culminated with an appearance in the NABC College All-Star game.

Philadelphia 76ers (2006–2007)

Jones was chosen as the 37th overall pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but was immediately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a future second-round pick in 2007 and cash considerations. On November 28, he was assigned to the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League, where over three games he averaged 13.7 points and eight rebounds before being recalled on December 8.

During his time with Philadelphia, Jones appeared in 44 NBA games, posting averages of 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds while playing just over seven minutes per game. He ended the season on a high note, averaging 13.5 points and 3.8 rebounds across his final four contests as his playing time increased.

Denver Nuggets (2007–2008)

On September 10, 2007, Jones was acquired by the Denver Nuggets along with Steven Hunter in exchange for Reggie Evans and draft rights to Ricky Sanchez. He was waived on January 7, 2008 after participating in 23 games with averages of 3.3 points and 1.4 rebounds.

Memphis Grizzlies (2008)

The Memphis Grizzlies signed Jones to a ten-day contract on January 10, 2008. Following a standout performance against the Seattle SuperSonics, where he recorded 20 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, he secured a second ten-day contract—the last short-term contract before either signing for the remainder of the season or being released.

Sioux Falls Skyforce (2008)

After not receiving a subsequent contract from Memphis, Jones joined the D-League side Sioux Falls Skyforce, appearing in two games.

Houston Rockets (2008)

On 26 February 2008, Jones received a call-up to join the Houston Rockets.

Return to the Skyforce (2008)

Following a brief ten-day period with Houston, Jones rejoined the Skyforce for a single game before being summoned again to the NBA.

Miami Heat (2008)

Jones inked a 10-day deal with the Miami Heat on 12 March 2008. Throughout six contests, he averaged close to 24 minutes per game, contributing 8 points and 4 rebounds on average, highlighted by a team-leading 15 points in his final outing. Despite this effort, no contract extension was offered.

Third stint with the Skyforce (2008)

After his short-term contract with Miami ended, Jones returned to the Skyforce and participated in two additional games.

San Antonio Spurs (2008)

On 1 April 2008, Jones signed with his fifth NBA franchise of the 2007–08 season, the San Antonio Spurs. Shortly afterward, on 11 April, he secured a contract with the Denver Nuggets extending through August, which included a non-guaranteed option for the subsequent season.

Fourth stint with the Skyforce (2008–2009)

Jones was traded on 28 July 2008 alongside Taurean Green and a second-round pick in the 2010 draft to the New York Knicks in exchange for Renaldo Balkman and cash considerations. The following day, due to roster limits, the Knicks waived him. Claimed off waivers by the Miami Heat on 5 August, he was released again on 15 August after the team signed Yakhouba Diawara. Subsequently, Jones attended the Sacramento Kings’ training camp starting 30 September but was waived on 21 October.

In November 2008, Jones returned to compete for the Sioux Falls Skyforce during the 2008–09 D-League season. Across 49 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while playing over 34 minutes per contest.

Banca Tercas Teramo (2009–2010)

During July 2009, Jones took part in the NBA Summer League representing the Portland Trail Blazers, posting averages of 7.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. Opting for an international opportunity over returning to the D-League if an NBA deal did not materialize, he signed with Italian Serie A side Banca Tercas Teramo on 24 July 2009.

Jones quickly made an impact by leading his team with 16 points against APOEL on 27 October, including two crucial free throws that secured Teramo’s progression to the group phase of the Eurocup. In Eurocup competition, he averaged 12 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across roughly 27 minutes per game. Domestically, he contributed approximately 11 points, 3.6 boards, and 1.8 steals in about 25 minutes per contest. Despite these respectable numbers, his consistency varied between notable performances and uneven displays, eliciting mixed feedback from analysts.

Sutor Montegranaro (2010–2011)

Although under contract for another year, Jones found adapting to European basketball challenging—particularly regarding officiating standards and training routines—and contemplated departure. He left Teramo but stayed within Italy’s Serie A by signing with Fabi Shoes Montegranaro in July 2010. Averaging 7.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2 steals in nearly 22 minutes per game, his output fell short of expectations and led to his replacement by Ryan Toolson in March 2011.

Fulgor Libertas Forlì (2011)

Jones moved to Fulgor Libertas Forlì competing in the second-tier LegaDue. At a time when Forlì was battling relegation, the team secured 8 victories in 9 games following his arrival, with Jones averaging 17.2 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals per contest.

Pistoia Basket (2011–2012)

Turning down an extension offer from Forlì, Jones joined rival LegaDue side Giorgio Tesi Group Pistoia in July 2011. Early in the season, foul trouble limited his minutes, but after transitioning to power forward midway through the campaign, his scoring and rebounding improved noticeably while fouls decreased. Over the season, he posted averages of 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds and played a pivotal role in Pistoia’s playoff journey to the finals against Enel Brindisi, narrowly missing promotion to Serie A. His remarkable performance in game 3—31 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals with a game-high efficiency rating of 37—helped keep the series competitive.

Virtus Roma (2012–2015)

Jones returned to Italy’s top division by signing with Acea Roma on 26 July 2012. During the regular season, he averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in roughly 19 minutes per game. His playoff contributions increased as he started in the quarterfinals against Trendwalker Reggio Emilia, posting notable outputs including 16 points and 9 rebounds in game 3 and recording 9 points with 10 rebounds in the decisive game 7. In the finals versus Montepaschi Siena, his influence was limited; he scored just 3 points and committed key fouls as Siena clinched the championship. Overall, he averaged 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across nearly 27 minutes per playoff game.

On 23 August 2013, Jones extended his contract with Roma for an additional season. The club anticipated he would qualify for Cotonou status to meet EU roster requirements; however, after failing to obtain a Dominican Republic passport, he was initially benched to comply with foreign player limits. Upon securing an Equatorial Guinea passport, Jones returned on 10 November delivering a strong performance of 20 points and 4 rebounds that helped Roma snap a losing streak. In the Eurocup, he led the team with a season-best 19 points against Bonn, finishing with averages of 8.1 points and 3.3 rebounds before Roma’s group stage elimination.

During the Serie A 2013–14 campaign, Jones provided consistent output with averages of 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists over 31 games. Although Roma’s playoff run ended in the semifinals against Montepaschi Siena, Jones delivered a strong effort in game 4 scoring 18 points.

Amid financial difficulties that forced Virtus Roma to assemble a largely inexperienced roster, Jones was the sole player retained for the following season. Despite team struggles, he remained a key contributor and earned recognition from La Gazzetta dello Sport as one of the league’s premier defenders and impactful players. His performances were crucial during the Eurocup, highlighted by an outstanding outing versus Nymburk where he tallied 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists for a PIR of 36, propelling Roma into the Last 32 phase.

Maintaining his high level of play, Jones recorded 18 points and 8 rebounds—including a decisive three-point play—in an overtime victory over Krasny Oktyabr, advancing Roma to the Eighthfinals. However, his influence waned during the Eighthfinals loss to Banvit, and a hand fracture sustained in mid-April prematurely ended his season, depriving Roma of his leadership and defensive presence.

For that season, Jones averaged 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across nearly 29 minutes per Serie A contest, alongside Eurocup averages of 11.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals over approximately 27 minutes per game.

Juvecaserta (2015–2016)

Following Roma's decision to decline the option for the second year of his contract, Jones entered free agency and subsequently joined Serie A club Juvecaserta for the 2015–16 campaign on 7 August 2015.

Casalpusterlengo (2016–2017)

Jones was acquired by Unione Cestistica Casalpusterlengo on 13 July 2016. His tenure with the team concluded on 15 March 2017.

Pallacanestro Mantovana (2017–2018)

On 9 July 2017, Jones committed to Pallacanestro Mantovana for the season.

Kienergia Rieti (2018–2019)

NPC Rieti revealed the signing of Jones on 28 September 2018.

Kumamoto Vorters (2019)

Jones started the 2019–20 season playing with the Kumamoto Vorters.

Roseto Sharks (2019–2020)

Jones secured a contract with Roseto Sharks of Italy’s Serie A2 on 2 December 2019.

Scaligera (2020–2021)

On 9 January 2020, Jones signed with Scaligera Basket Verona, competing in the Italian Serie A2 league.

International career

During his collegiate years at Washington, Jones represented the United States national team at the 2005 Summer Universiade held in İzmir, Turkey. Coming off the bench, he averaged 2.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, along with one assist and one steal per game as part of the undefeated squad that captured the gold medal.

NBA career statistics

Source.

Regular season

|- | align="left" | 2006–07 | align="left" | Philadelphia | 44 || 5 || 7.6 || .462 || .111 || .561 || 1.3 || .4 || .3 || .0 || 2.5 |- | align="left" rowspan=5| 2007–08 | align="left" | Denver | 25 || 0 || 8.9 || .406 || .391 || .821 || 1.5 || .4 || .2 || .0 || 3.4 |- | align="left" | Memphis | 9 || 2 || 15.2 || .389 || .231 || .900 || 3.0 || 1.2 || .6 || .2 || 4.4 |- | align="left" | Houston | 4 || 0 || 2.3 || .500 || .000 || .000 || .3 || .0 || .2 || .0 || 1.0 |- | align="left" | Miami | 6 || 0 || 23.8 || .531 || .400 || .615 || 4.0 || .8 || .3 || .0 || 8.0 |- | align="left" | San Antonio | 3 || 0 || 6.7 || .250 || .000 || .000 || .7 || .3 || .7 || .0 || .7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 91 || 7 || 9.5 || .442 || .306 || .685 || 1.6 || .5 || .3 || .0 || 3.2

Filmmaker

In his third year competing in Italy, Jones transformed his blog entry titled "The Overseas Basketball Life: Part 1" into a full-length documentary called Basketball Jones: The Overseas Journey. This film delves into the experiences and challenges faced by American basketball players abroad, featuring interviews with nine athletes and emphasizing the approximately 2,000 opportunities annually available to Americans overseas. Over a span of two years, Jones dedicated considerable effort and resources to bring this project to fruition, with screenings held at locations including his former high school Long Beach Poly, Rome, and Seattle in July 2015.

External links

• Serie A profile Accessed on 10 August 2015
• FIBA game center profile Accessed on 10 August 2015
• Accessed on 8 August 2015
• RealGM profile Accessed on 10 August 2015