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Del.jpg

Del Jones

AZ Compass Prep (AZ)

Team Durant (Nike EYBL)

Class

2024

Height

~6'2"

Weight

~175 lbs

Position

PG

Strong Hand

Right

Committed

Clemson

Physical/Athleticism

Offensive Qualities

Shooting

Dribbling

Passing

Defense

Feel/IQ

Intangibles

Coachability

May 2023

Statistical Sample from the 2022-23 Season

Del Jones Stats.jpg

Statistics from Sessions I & II of Nike EYBL 2023

Del Jones EYBL Stats.jpg

*source: Nike EYBL

Physical/Athleticism
Physical/Athleticism

  • DOB: 11/24/2004 – will be 19.5 years old at the time of graduation

  • Played the 2022-23 season with Huntington Prep (WV). Announced that he will attend AZ Compass Prep (AZ) for his senior season on May 10.

  • Excellent overall athlete who possesses good positional size and strength

  • Primarily a finesse player, but likes to create/initiate contact on the floor and at the rim, as he has the strength and athleticism to absorb and play through it effectively

    • Maturing strength allows him to handle physicality

  • Superb body control

  • Great open court speed

  • Exhibits speed with and without the ball

  • Fluid, agile changes of direction moving at high speeds

    • Open hips to support those changes of direction on both ends of the floor

  • Good lateral quickness to pair with his open hips on defense and burst on offense

  • Blow-by burst and acceleration

  • Effective deceleration ability

  • Solid endurance with room for improvement

  • Has very good balance as a whole

  • Effective first step

  • Power jumper who gets up best off of two feet

Other Offensive Qualities
Offensive Qualities

  • Immensely talented lead guard who enjoyed a successful year that saw his skillset, production, and maturity each take leaps toward catching up with his natural ability, while competing against a packed national schedule

    • Has a rising floor with a ton of room to grow as a point guard

    • Polished and sharpened his skillset over the last calendar year

  • Dynamic offensively. Can generate offense at a high level. When you need a play, he’s a player you can toss the ball to and ask him to make something happen.

    • Owns the ability to take over segments of a game with his offensive skillset

  • A gifted playmaker who excels off the bounce with freedom and self-creativity. Extremely tough to keep in front from the point of attack in the half-court; has a very nice way of creating separation. Takes advantage of his ability to regularly get two feet in the paint as a capable finisher and an upward-trending distributor. Also uses his superb on-ball skillset to create space for his midrange game.

    • Impressive self-creation skillset: mixes shifty, well-sold combination dribble moves with hard-plants, fluid changes of direction and significant burst to make it difficult for defenders to keep him in front in various situations

      • Possesses multiple counters and advancing feel for the on-ball defender

    • Very capable and often effective as a downhill driver who can utilize hard deceleration and footwork to aid in his set up to finish around the rim (see more on his finishing ability further down in this section)

      • Likes to utilize a change of pace followed by a burst, getting his body low and his head and shoulders by the defender. He’ll throw in the occasional studder step for added deception.

  • Has a tendency to drive into traffic and get himself into trouble

  • Attacks the paint with vigor and skill, exceling when decisive and under control. Additionally, he’s grown in the use of his body, as well as in feel for the on-ball defender and 2nd line of defense.

  • Mixes his attack up nicely as a threat to drive going right or left

  • A tough bucket getter whose ability to create space and convert tough shots propels his ceiling higher. On the flip side, those abilities can also dampen his shooting percentages and decision making. See more in the “Shooting” section below.

  • Despite a way’s off from consistency as a shooter, as mentioned above, he regularly makes tough shots from all 3 levels

    • Skillful and athletic enough to improvise around the rim or in the paint to finish in traffic and under duress

    • While he doesn’t have midrange “spots”, per se, he is most accurate from the key area. Plus, he’s able to get to various midrange levels off a variety of dribble moves, and can make shots when he’s out of rhythm or off balance.  

      • Using his skillful handle, shiftiness, and his threat to drive, he’s able to create space and separation for the shot with relative ease. Further, he shows an acumen for positioning his body to create advantages for himself. So when you add these qualities to his high comfort level with taking (and making) tough shots, it makes for a tough guard.

      • Adept at using the defender’s momentum against them

  • Has a growing ability to knock down the 3 off of self-creation work, as well as out of the pick and roll

  • Owns a very effective step back/side step going in either direction that he uses to create extra space for his jumper from various distances, including from extended 3-point distances.

    • Can convert these shots moving right or left

      • Often appears to be more comfortable moving right on the side step

      • The move right is more of a side step, while it’s closer to a true step back going left

    • Will often precede the step back with effective dribble moves

    • Step backs are especially effective due to his threat to drive and his willingness to mix it up offensively

  • Advancing quickly in the pick-and-roll as a dual threat to create space for his own shot and produce quality looks for his teammates.

    • His growing patience with the ball has been important in this action. He’s become more willing to allow the defense to make a mistake and seize the opportunity

      • Learning to read the defense and attack according to the coverage

      • Improving in his willingness to drag the defenders and find the open man, as a result

      • Look for him to continue to progress in patience and maturity by making the simple play

    • Can turn the corner and get to the rim, pull-up against drop coverage, or shoot it from 3 when the defense goes under the screen

    • Understands when to reject the screen and how to use it as a tool for misdirection

    • Able to take advantage of drop coverages with his pull-up jumper

    • Gaining in the use of his body as he comes off the screen, using variations of the hostage dribble or trapping and controlling the defender on his shoulder

    • Sets the screen up nicely to improve the angle and efficacy of the screen

  • At his best when he has the freedom to create, but remains under control

    • Will thrive most in an environment that allows for mistakes and learning through experience

  • Regularly capitalizes on advantage situations

  • Still learning to make the simple play overall

  • Places heavy pressure on the defense in semi-transition as a multi-dimensional threat

    • Pressures the rim with his mixture of handle, speed, and body control

    • Takes advantage of retreating defenders with an advancing pull-up game from inside and outside the arc

    • Forces the defense to stop ball farther from the basket, opening up the floor and allowing him to work in space with his handle and acceleration

    • He consistently shows that he’s able to identify the weak spots in the transition defense and attack accordingly, but will occasionally force the issue

  • While he places pressure on the defense in semi-transition, he also flashed progress in pace and patience, allowing the defense to filter back to the paint and the floor to space in order to locate perimeter shooters as a distributor

  • Will benefit from initiating the offense closer to the basket

    • Has a tendency to cross half court and stop, particularly near the top corners, where the sideline and half-court line become additional defenders

  • A skilled finisher who utilizes his strength, athleticism, and body control to convert at difficult angles, as well as through contact

    • Possesses the ability to absorb contact, hang, and finish

    • Understands how to draw contact to get to the line

    • Makes good use of the backboard

    • Has the agility and footwork to avoid the charge

    • Prefers to finish with his strong hand, and will benefit from continuing to strengthen his already capable left

    • Tends to try to force shots at the rim in traffic

    • Will benefit from continuing to develop and implement the floater, which he will showcase from time-to-time, as he prepares to move to the college level

Shooting
Shooting

  • Improved shooter overall with rising percentages on his higher-quality looks

  • The next step is solidifying consistency all the way around

    • Underwhelming shooting splits are driven by his shot selection. It is the gift and the curst of being a gifted playmaker and confident, emerging shot maker, in that he can make a couple of high-quality shots in a row and subsequently miss a pair of low-quality, heat check-like shots.

  • As mentioned, he possesses promising shot making qualities. Capable of converting shots in tight spaces, when he’s off balance, and under heavy duress while:

    • Moving laterally in either direction

    • Operating out of combination dribble moves

    • His momentum is moving forward or backward

  • Despite his shot making ability, he’s at his best as a shooter when he’s on balance and his feet are set. This is no better exemplified than when he is shooting the spot-up 3.

  • Has a propensity to attempt jumpers from midrange-to-deep without having his feet set or with uneven weight distribution in his legs. As a shooter, nailing down the footwork into the shot to support his self-creation skillset will be key.

  • Again, he owns an advancing midrange capability

    • Has the typical one, two, or three-dribble pull-up off of various catches, such as a dribble hand-off, but prefers to get to his shot off the live dribble, as discussed above in the “Offensive Qualities” section

    • Very comfortable shooting with a hand in his face

    • Skillfully gets to his pull-up going right or left

  • His path to reliability from 3 is still a bit murky, as he remains inconsistent from that distance

  • Per the Cerebro Sports database, in 57 games spanning back over 2 years, he shot 24.3% on 189 total  attempts (3.1 per game)

  • For this evaluation, in 14 games charted, he shot 30.2% on 4.5 attempts. So, not only are we seeing his percentage increase, but his volume is increasing, too.

  • The lower percentages are, at least in part, due to the high degree of difficulty of his shot attempts, as previously discussed. A significant portion of his attempts come off the dribble in the form of:

    • Pull-ups: one-and-two-dribble pull-ups, off of ball screens, dribble-up, semi-transition pull-ups, etc.

    • Self-created attempts from dribble moves that may or may not be paired with a step back or side step

  • As is the case from midrange, he displays his shot making chops from behind the arc; and while he is able to show those ways with some regularity, his overall consistency will need to continue to improve.

  • Has worked to extend his range, especially when his mechanics are together. Showed flashes of comfort shooting from 24-25 feet, as well as the ability to do so off the dribble. He has a healthy diet of long 3-point attempts.

    • His comfort level from deeper distances is much greater off the dribble than on the catch

  • Very confident shooter who possesses a short memory. That confidence drives his tough shot making ability in that he believes he can convert the difficult attempts, regardless of the degree.

  • Solid free throw shooter at 76% on 3.6 attempts per game in 14 games charted

  • Shot selection needs refining, with a tendency to force shots at all 3 levels

    • Overall, he’s still learning the difference between good and “bad” shots

    • 37.7% of attempts came from 3 in the 14 games charted

    • His ability to create space and make difficult shots can lead to low-quality attempts

      • Can be impatient and take unnecessarily difficult shots

    • Tends to force difficult attempts off the dribble, settling for tough shots from the perimeter

  • Mechanics/form

    • Slight right knee inversion

    • Elbow is just below 90-degrees

    • Release is right above eye level

      • Lower release point (~bridge of nose level) from deeper distances, with a slightly lower elbow to generate the extra power necessary

    • Tends to rely a lot on his upper body strength

      • Shows most on the release, where he’s forced to use extra “oomph” on the shot. This often causes him to shoot more out than up.

    • Will improve by moving his shot towards one continuous motion

    • Consistent follow through

Dribbling

  • Creative ball handler with good ball control who creates great space and separation with the dribble. Can be very shifty and deceptive; can handle the pill.

  • Ball control is excellent on the move, allowing him to change directions with fluency, especially in transition. His ability to maintain control while changing directions at high speeds allows him to get where he wants to go. Defenders can appear helpless. He does it with ease.

Dribbling

  • Skill and ball control with his left hand matches that of his right

  • Fantastic speed dribble that often sees him pushing the ball right up the back of retreating defenses

    • Accelerates past defenders with relative ease, with high-level burst and ball control

  • Employs single and double dribble moves to create space and advantages effectively

    • Sells them well and remains under control as he moves with force and purpose

    • Can employ them from the point of attack in the half-court, in semi-transition as he pressures retreating defenders, or at high speeds in transition

    • Typically keeps the ball tighter to the body, but will occasionally allow it to loosen up, depending on the type of move being used

  • Growing willingness to probe with the dribble, especially in semi-transition

    • Keeps his eyes up in the process to let things shake out and locate the open man

    • An indication of him playing with more patience

  • Has a tendency to over dribble and will find himself dribbling into traffic on occasion

    • Efficiency can improve in the half court

  • Gets his body and shoulders low on the burst following his dribble moves from the point of attack, whether in the half court or transition/semi-transition

    • Bolsters his already solid strength with the ball and aids his acceleration

  • Knows how to utilize his body to protect the ball and clear space without fouling

  • Has learned to replace himself well with the dribble, especially when handling out top

  • Handles full-court man pressure, as well as zone pressure, without issue

  • Has various uses of the crossover, all of which are effective in their own right

    • Can use a push crossover, where he brings it over the top above the waist level for maximum burst and speed purposes

    • Will roll the crossover, keeping it below knee level to prevent reaching hands from getting a piece of the ball

    • Uses an Iverson-like cross to shift defenders laterally

    • Pairs the cross in combination with other moves to shift or push defenders back on their heels

      • Has an outstanding killer crossover from left-to-right

Passing
Passing

  • A talented playmaker with a budding passing skillset

  • Extremely capable and effective distributor off the live dribble, showing advancements in multiple areas as a passer off the bounce:

    • Potent on the drive and kick with his ability to collapse the defense, especially when he sees the pass

      • Can develop periodic cases of tunnel vision on the drive, mainly due to his aggression and ability to convert shots around the rim; but this tendency is shrinking

    • Good penetrate, draw of the second level defender, and dump-off passer to his dunkers

      • Adept at setting up his teammates for high quality attempts around the rim

      • Keeps his eyes up and locates cutters off the penetration

    • Running the break in transition – really showed advancements in this area in his ability to run the show, but also to see the floor and make the right play

    • Finding his shooters in semi-transition

  • Advances the ball well with the pass, and is always looking for the pitch ahead to his teammates running the floor

    • Generally has good placement and touch on these passes

  • Lobs an accurate alley-oop, delivering a convertible ball, even in the midst of traffic

  • Expanding his vision overall, and his ability to see and read the floor has improved, as well

  • Solid left-handed passer with room to strengthen its use, particularly the zip used off the live dribble

  • Will leave his feet without a plan, at times

  • Understands how to set the defense up with the dribble in order to improve his passing angles

Defense
Defense

  • Highly capable defender with strong instincts, but can be undisciplined and inconsistent

  • Flashes extended stretches of good on-ball defense, powered by his ability to anticipate his man’s move and beat him to the spot without fouling. On the flip side, there are possessions where he doesn’t appear ready to defend and struggles to contain the dribble drive.

    • Owns the tools to be a consistently good on-ball defender

    • Capable of exerting heavy ball pressure

    • Comprehends how to guide his man into help

  • Exhibits good recovery skills

  • Displays instinctual anticipation off the ball

    • Shows the capability of knowing where the next pass is headed

  • Proved to be tough in the post against bigger opponents by using his strength to maintain his position and his lateral quickness to cut off his man and force difficult attempts

  • Can have some difficulties defending the pick-and-roll

  • Owns some lazy tendencies in getting through/over/under the screen

  • Tends to allow the expectation of the contact from the screen affect his willingness to maintain his on-ball positioning

  • Does not block out consistently, but is certainly capable of being a serviceable positional rebounder

  • Shows good judgment for where the ball is coming off the rim

IQ
Basketball IQ/Feel

  • Basketball IQ is a work in progress overall

  • Has continued to progress in his maturation as a point guard, taking incremental steps in reading the game, running his team, and understanding time and score

    • Furthered his learning process of how to win games, competing and succeeding against some of the best programs in the country

    • Improved patience to allow plays to develop, but can still be hasty in his shot selection and desire to make plays

    • Grew in his understanding and application of pace, and the advantages of playing at different speeds

      • Learning to excel at different speeds as he moves up to the college level will be key

    • Flashed extended segments of commanding an offense, getting people in the right places, and controlling the game as a whole

    • Still learning when it comes to timely decisions, such as when to distribute, when to attack, when to take shots early in the shot clock, when to attempt a heat check, etc.

    • Operated more consistently off of two feet in the lane

    • Working to consistently make the simple play, as opposed to the “home run” play

  • Owns innate instincts for the game, including a growing feel for on-ball defenders

  • Improving court awareness, translating into his ability to:

    • See the floor

    • Anticipate where the defense is

    • Anticipate where his teammates are going to be

  • Developing the use of manipulation, both with his eyes and even more with the dribble

Dispostion/Presence
Intangibles/Disposition

  • Possesses boatloads of self-belief/confidence and holds himself to a very high standard

  • Wants the ball in his hands

  • Very healthy aggression level

  • Loves to compete – ultra-competitive

  • Plays relaxed

  • Possesses real toughness

  • Leadership – it’s all about progress as he continues to mature

    • Owns natural leadership qualities

    • Willing to hold his teammates accountable

    • Still learning to become a positive leader on a daily basis

      • Passion for the game and for winning can lead to emotional exchanges

    • Prefers to lead by example. The verbal component of his leadership is ongoing.

      • Working to improve his communication outside of his emotions as he matures

      • Currently: “I can show you better than I can tell you.”

Coachability
Coachability

  • Coachability has improved throughout the last calendar year as he has matured

  • Will thrive most with a coaching staff who allows him to play through his mistakes and who actively teaches him how to read/think the game

    • Will flourish most with a coach he can trust

  • Responds best to relational coaching, as opposed to yelling and screaming

    • Is not receptive and tends to react negatively to an aggressive, in your grill approach

  • Has a propensity to become less coachable in the midst of adversity

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