Duke guard Tre Jones published an Instagram post this weekend in which he strongly hinted that he’s leaning toward returning to school for at least one more year. Nothing is official yet, but if Jones does elect to stick with the Blue Devils for his sophomore season, it would be big news for the program.
Currently, Jones ranks 29th on Jonathan Givony’s 2019 NBA draft big board at ESPN.com, including fourth among point guards. According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter), the Knicks, Grizzlies, Hornets, Pelicans, Hawks, and Thunder have all done a “great amount” of background work on Jones.
As we wait for official word from the Duke guard, here are a few more draft-related updates:
- Maryland freshman forward Jalen Smith, a potential draft candidate, has elected to return to the Terrapins for his sophomore season, the school announced today in a press release. “I’m excited to return to Maryland for my sophomore year and advance my education as I continue to develop both on and off the court with my teammates and coaching staff,” said Smith, who averaged an impressive 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 3.0 BPG in two NCAA tournament games.
- UCF guard Aubrey Dawkins has submitted the paperwork necessary to declare for the 2019 draft, according to a press release. The 6’6″ junior left a strong final impression, having racked up 32 points against Duke in UCF’s second-round NCAA tournament loss.
- Ole Miss junior guard Breein Tyree has announced that he’ll test the draft waters, maintaining his college eligibility during the process (Twitter link). Tyree averaged a team-high 17.9 PPG on .459/.375/.831 shooting in 33 games in 2018/19.
Probably smart by Jalen Smith, as he’s not ranked as high as he should be. Perhaps overshadowed by Bruno Fernando, who is leaving for the NBA.
As a Duke fan I would say the same for Jones. Nothing wrong with improving yourself as a basketball player.
Agreed. If Jones could improve his shooting he could find himself in the lottery next year.
Exactly. Teams challenged him to shoot the ball. He has to get a consistent jump shot.
If he was smart, Cam Reddish would also return to Duke
Absolutely.
Nah….
Cam and Tra are in two different situations. I haven’t heard any scout question Cams shot, I’ve actually heard the opposite and it praised. Cams inconsistency comes from the inability to Finnish. That’s a lack of strength, which will be greatly aided by a pro conditioning program. Cam is also already a lottery pick! It’d surprise me if he fell out of the top 10! And he’s already committed to the draft.
Good lord if I were Jones and saw the Knicks Pelicans and Hornets interested in me I’d wanna stay for 8yrs of college