Bill Jones (basketball, born 1966)

Clarence William "Bill" Jones (born March 18, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player.^[1] His career spanned from 1985 to 2001 and included stops in the National Basketball Association, Continental Basketball Association, Australia, France, Italy, and Venezuela.

Jones played college ball at the University of Iowa from 1984–85 to 1987–88.^[2] He scored 981 career points and helped lead the Hawkeyes to four consecutive berths into the NCAA Tournament.^[2][3] He appeared in 125 games and averaged 7.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.^[2]

While at Iowa, however, Jones played in Australia's National Basketball League during their seasons in the summertime between 1985 and 1989.^[4] In 1986, the Adelaide 36ers, for whom he played those four years, won the NBL championship, compiling a still standing NBL season record of 24-2 which included going 13-0 at their home, the Apollo Stadium.^[5][6] Jones, who also captained the team in 1986 and 1987, played at Center for the 36ers and formed the leagues best front court partnership with fellow American import Mark Davis. In his championship year he averaged 19.1 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

Jones was forced out of the 36ers at the end of the 1988 NBL season due to the emergence of 6'10" (208 cm) Australian Boomers center Mark Bradtke and coach Gary Fox's desire to bring in a new import centre (Orlando Phillips). After going undrafted in the 1988 NBA draft, Jones returned to the NBL and played for the Newcastle Falcons in 1989 under his 1985-86 Adelaide coach Ken Cole. This would be the last full season Bill Jones would play in Australia, though he did play two games for the Geelong Supercats in 1992. Jones played a total of 139 NBL games (113 for Adelaide, 24 for Newcastle and 2 in Geelong), averaging 16.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.

Although he went undrafted in the NBA draft, Jones would play a total of 37 games in the 1988–89 NBA season with the New Jersey Nets where he averaged 3.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Other professional highlights include being named to the CBA All-Rookie First Team in 1988–89, the All-CBA Second Team in 1989–90, and the CBA All-Star Game in 1995.^[7][8]

Jones retired from professional basketball after the 2000–01 season.^[9] As of March 2012 he owns a bank security company in his home state of Michigan.^[10]

References