Perry Jones Returning To Baylor For Sophomore Season
by Evan Pfaff on Apr 11, 2011 5:34 PM CDT
in Baylor Bears Basketball
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PrintBaylor Bears basketball fans can jump for joy after the Bears' official Twitter page announced that Perry Jones III will return for his sophomore season.
Jones was long thought to be a one-and-done player and is listed as the fifth pick in this season's NBA Draft, according to NBAdraft.net.
Speculation intensified that Jones would leave after he was suspended for the Big 12 Tournament violations made before he arrived in Waco.
Jones joins Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger as two top flight big men who are opting to return to college, despite the lure of NBA riches.
With Jones returning, Baylor has a young, but athletic team shaping up for 2011-12. With incoming freshman forward Quincy Miller and guard Deuce Bello joining Jones, the Bears have three potential young NBA players to go along with senior-to-be Quincy Acy.
Besides talent, Baylor could start 6'7 Acy, 6'8 Miller and 6'11 Jones forming one of the taller frontcourts in the country.
For his freshman season, Jones averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
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So...
I probably should learn never to bet against KU, but this makes Baylor the team to beat in conference, yes?
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No way
because the last time I checked, Scott Drew is still their head coach.
Surgeon General's Warning: K-State-Mizzou basketball may increase the risk of high blood pressure. Please consult your doctor prior to watching any of these games.
I’m shocked considering the circumstances but this is a huge get for Baylor. A couple things come to mind:
- Will we see an addition by subtraction with Dunn (who I thought killed the offense by forcing shots last year) which will allow Jones (and Miller) to be the focal points?
- Is Walton & Co going to be enough in terms of handling the ball and distributing to make Baylor a strong team?
- Scott Drew has yet to prove he is anything else than a great recruiter. If Jones does not progress in his career, the rumblings will have to start. It will be a few years before he will be on the hot seat since he keeps getting great recruits but it means nothing if you can’t do anything with them. With both Jones and Miller on the team next year, it’s a big year for Drew to prove he can coach as good as he can recruit.
Dunn
Is a lot like Melo was for the Nuggets. He shot the ball a lot and to create his shots he often times slowed the tempo and waited for an opening. Look at how the Nuggets are without Melo, and I think that’s what you’ll have with Dunn gone.
But you’re right. I’m trying to anoint a team as kings that didn’t make a postseason tournament this year, and that probably tels you a lot about Drew.
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Still need a PG, though.
Walton needs to get a LOT better for Baylor to contend. Somebody has to get the ball to Acy/Miller/Jones.
Yes and yes.
Dunn was a black hole on offense for the Bears last year.
Key this year is going to be Scott Drew. He’s got tons of talent and athleticism. Now he has to make it work (and if he plays that zone anymore I might just die). I think he’ll be more important than a PG, but we’ll see. If Walton can improve his ball-handling, I don’t think he’ll have to work very hard to “facilitate” for this team.
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by Matt Patton on Apr 12, 2011 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep.
That will be the key.
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Future
While I know this is not the case and that he’s doing this because the lockout mostly I love this for college basketball and for the NBA. He may develop more in his second year and become a better prospect. I, as a basketball fan, want to get back to those days where we got finished products instead of potential based prospects. Like the 80’s and some of the 90’s (with a few exceptions). While IMO he should leave so that he could get a large amount of $ it is hope that we can get back to the old days of really competitive basketball. I agree that Dunn did force a lot more shots than he should have but if they get a pass-first point guard somewhere. Oh boy.
by Melvin Earl Taylor on Apr 12, 2011 11:33 AM CDT reply actions
So true
All these guys staying will both be a good thing for college hoops and a great thing for the NBA, in terms of marketing players.
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he made the right decision
two words: impending lockout. his draft stock was based on potential anyway. if he went to the draft, he would have one year and then get locked out. check out my take
http://mizzousportswriters.com/2011/04/12/baylor-big-perry-jones-to-stay-for-sophomore-season/
Evan- you are one of the most fair-minded fans around. Baylor’s season will hinge on Pierre Jackson- JUCO 1st Team All-American PG that they signed. I watched 4 of his games after I got tipped off that Baylor was in on him.
He’s a really good guard. Reminds me of Devan Downey from South Carolina. If he plays anything close to that projection, Baylor will be a really good team. Last year’s disappointment was mostly tied to a lack of good options at guard. AJ Walton is a JT Tiller type guard. He wasn’t prepared to be a dominant ball-handler. And Dunn’s poor ball-handling skills didn’t help.
Pierre Jackson averaged 15 free throw attempts per game in the JUCO national championships (4 games). He shoots around 90%. If he is committed to penetrating and setting up his teammates, the Bears will be better.
They have two good shooters coming off transfer years in Brady Heslip (BC) and Gary Franklin (Cal).
Thanks!
First off, thanks for the compliment…
Secondly, I always feel it takes JUCOs a full year to assimilate before they can full contribute. there are examples of JUCOs making contributions immediately, but they have been playing two years against mostly inferior competition and so reality smacks them in the face their first year.
For Baylor’s sake, I hope you’re right, because with a PG they are a very, very scary team.
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Jackson / Downey is a fair comparison. Only seen little bits of his games, but I worry he’s too much of a score-first guard. Though, that might not be a bad thing. Baylor might need someone that can go for the jugular (Jones has never seemed able to go into Teen Wolf mode).
This is definitely the team I’m most excited to see.
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