Jones played basketball for Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama. As a sophomore, he averaged 23.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. After a coaching change at Pinson, he transferred to Mountain Brook High School in Mountain Brook, Alabama for his junior season to play under coach Bucky McMillan.[1] Jones averaged 14 points, five rebounds and three assists per game as a junior.[2] He played alongside Trendon Watford and helped the school win its third straight Class 7A state title. In his senior season, Jones assumed a leading role and averaged 25.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game, helping Mountain Brook to a Class 7A runner-up finish.[3] He was named Over the Mountain Journal Player of the Year, All-South Metro Player of the Year and Alabama Class 7A Player of the Year.[4][5] A four-star recruit, he committed to play college basketball for Xavier over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and UAB.[2]
College career
Jones missed the first five games of his freshman season at Xavier due to COVID-19contact tracing.[6] On January 10, 2021, he made a game-winning three-pointer in the final second of a 74–73 win against Providence.[7] On February 16, he scored a season-high 20 points and had six rebounds in a 93–84 loss to St. John's.[8] As a freshman, Jones averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, and was selected to the Big East All-Freshman Team.[9]
Jones' father, Chad, played college basketball for UAB. His older brother, C. J., played basketball for Arkansas and Middle Tennessee in college before embarking on a professional career.[13]