Josh Jones, 24, formerly of Jefferson, was picked up by Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Hildalgo, Tex.) in a sixth round draft pick.
On Nov. 4, he was traded to the Red Claws, an NBA development team in Portland, for third round pick Charles Okwandu of the University of Conn.
The Red Claws are affiliated with the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76’ers and the Charlotte Bobcats. Jones is the second player from Maine to play for the Red Claws; the first was Matt Clement from Lawrence High School and Maine Maritime Academy.
Jones participated in the Red Claws open try-outs, and a two-day national try-out camp in Louisville, Ky., before signing an NBA Development League contract and entering the 2011 draft.
The NBA D-League was founded in 2001, and is the NBA’s official minor league, consisting of 16 teams. Twenty-three percent of players in the NBA, at the end of the 2010-11 season, came out of the NBA D-League.
Jones was a standout player in the KVAC at Erskine Academy in China, then went on to play at MCI Prep in Illinois, and for a D2 school in Odessa, Tex., before settling at Husson University for his final two years of college.
At Husson the 6’4″, 205-lb. senior forward, led the Eagles to a 21-7 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
Jones received many accolades his senior year at Husson. He was named NAC (North Atlantic Conference) Player of the Year, NAC Tournament MVP, and MMBCWA (Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association) Player of the Year.
He was named to the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) First Team, and to the New England Division III first team, and was named second team All-Regional by D3Hoops.
Jones was ranked third in the state in points per game (19.2), second in rebounding (11.4), and finished in the top 10 in four other statistical categories.
In the NAC, he was ranked first in rebounding, first in free throws (65 percent), second in rebounds, third in field goals, third in steals, fourth in scoring and sixth in field goal percentage (58 percent).
His senior year at Husson he averaged 19.1 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game, and had 76 assists, 31 blocks, and shot 74.3 percent from the free throw line. In two years at Husson, he scored 947 points.
“Josh has a great passion to become a professional athlete and is driven to succeed. We are proud of how hard he has worked to create this opportunity. He had a great career with us and we believe in his abilities to continue his basketball career professionally,” Husson coach Warren Caruso commented in a Husson University press release.
There are 13 players on the Red Claws training camp roster. Jones is adjusting his game and hopes to be a shooting guard on the team. The Red Claws home opener is Sat., Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
Jones did not return messages left for him with the Red Claws organization.
