The Charlotte Hornets own their own first-round pick and are owed second-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the next couple of months, leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft, Swarm & Sting will take a look at prospects hoping to hear their name called on draft night.
The Hornets pick in the first round with the 11th overall selection, but in this profile, we’ll take a look at Alabama’s Herbert Jones, who may still be on the board when Charlotte picks at No. 56 and 57.
Age: 22
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 210 lbs
College Stats/Awards
Jones enters the 2021 NBA Draft after spending four seasons at Alabama. During the 2020-21 season, Brown played and started in 33 all games for the Crimson Tide, averaging 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 44.6% from the field and 35.1% from three.
Jones earned SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.
Primary Strengths
Jones had a breakout year last season, helping Alabama advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. He is an athletic, long, and competitive forward who plays with great energy and unselfishness.
On offense, Jones is an okay playmaker but he is at his best scoring on off-ball motion. On the defensive end, he rebounds well for his size and has a knack for taking the ball away from opponents either by steals or blocks.
Primary Weaknesses
Jones is a reluctant shooter and is very passive on offense. In his first three seasons at Alabama, Jones shot 26.9%, 28.6%, and 7.1% from three. During his senior season, Jones improved to 35.1% from beyond the arc. He needs to continue to develop his offensive game and improve his shooting to stick on an NBA roster.
Although Jones is a solid defender, he can gamble a lot on that end of the floor. He needs to become more disciplined and make smarter decisions, especially when making moves on the ball.
Jones can also be turnover and foul prone.
Draft Projection
Jones is an athletic and energetic wing player who can make an impact on the defensive end. If he continues to improve on the offensive end, he could potentially carve out a role as a 3&D player. Jones could come off the board at the end of the second round, but more than likely, he will go undrafted and look to impress teams with his summer league play.
The draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, June 22 on ESPN. The 2021 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, July 29 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft will be televised on ABC (first-round only) and ESPN.