Herbert Jones – Forward – Alabama
If we are looking at strictly second-round prospects in this year’s draft that possess a ton of upside to be special in the NBA, the one guy that comes to mind is Herbert Jones from Alabama. The 6’7” small-forward spent four seasons in Tuscaloosa and never really jumped out as one of the top players in the country, but Jones possesses all of the intangibles to have a long and sustainable NBA career.
Herb Jones is an elite-level athlete on the wing who has not only proven the ability to put the ball on the ground and score, but he can make an impact on a game defensively as well. The biggest thing that sticks out to me about Jones’ game is the fact that he never gives up on a play.
Whether it is on offense or chasing down an opponent on defense, this guy’s motor never stops going, which is why he is going to make a team very happy in the second-round. Energy and effort are the two biggest things that make Herb Jones unique compared to other players in this year’s draft class.
He is definitely not the best defender in this draft class and is not the best offensive player in this draft class, but he is one of the most NBA-ready players in terms of coming into the league with a set role. Off-the-bench, Jones can be a spark for virtually any team in this league, which is why he could absolutely be a missing piece for a playoff contending team.
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With over a 7-foot wingspan, Herb Jones is extremely effective in the half-court on defense and he averaged 1.7 steals per game at Alabama during his senior year because of his ability to disrupt passing lanes. Not many college players average over 1.5 steals per game and over a block per game defensively on the wing at the college level and he did this in his final season with the Crimson Tide!
To me, I see a lot of comparisons in Jones’ game to that of OG Anunoby, Andre Iguodala and even a little bit of T.J. Warren. He is really not like any of these players entirely, but Herb Jones has a little bit of each of these player’s games in his to shape him into being a great, modern-day NBA wing.
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The best part about drafting Herb Jones is that you know what you are going to get from him, which is high energy and effort every single possession that he is on the court. Jones has flown way under-the-radar in this draft class in my opinion and he will be one of the steals of the second-round, especially if he falls out of the first few picks in the second-round.
