Tyus Jones doesn't know what college he wants to play for, but he knows exactly who he wants to play with. Perhaps what makes the 6-foot-1 point guard so intriguing is not his ball-handling ability or his other-worldly court vision, but rather the fact that he is a member of one of the most high-profile and well-documented package deals in the history of college basketball recruiting.
On the surface, Jones' desire to play college basketball with 6-foot-10 center Jahlil Okafor, who is ranked the No. 1 player in their recruiting class by ESPN, makes little sense other than the fact that Okafor is widely considered to be the most skilled big man on the planet who doesn't play in the NBA. Okafor's hometown of Chicago is a long way from Apple Valley, Minn., where Jones calls resides. The pair play different positions, play for different AAU squads and don't even compete in the same state playoffs. But a bond that was forged when the pair teamed up for USA Basketball's U16 national team now has the duo poised to make any team that lands them an instant national championship contender for the 2014-15 season.
"He's just a big man that knows the game," Jones said. "He knows spacing. He knows how to use his feet. He's got great hands. He just makes my job a lot easier."
We broke down Jones' game and spoke with him about his recruitment and where Houston forward Justise Winslow could potentially fit into the Jones-Okafor package.
Highlights of Jones at the Nike Global Challenge, where he averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game and led his USA Midwest team to a third-place finish.
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