Terrence Jones Utilizing His Size

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A heralded recruit like most of John Calipari’s are, Jones figured to be an added constant thread of one and done at Kentucky. For him that route didn’t pan out and he returned for a sophomore campaign. Ultimately he would have been wise to return for at least one more year at Kentucky. His draft stock was a mid first round pick and he landed at number eighteen to Houston.

His impact on the court was very little as a rookie. This put pressure on Jones to rededicate himself. The natural size and talent that Jones possessed was not matching up with the quickness and speed of NBA players. He needed to work on his game and show growth for Kevin McHale and the Rockets organization. Dedication after his rookie season paid off with a solid performance in the NBA summer league.

The Rockets have always been a team that rotates and tinkers with their roster. From the days of Chuck Hayes, Aaron Brooks, Chase Budinger, etc—they can find hidden talent buried on their depth chart.

Jones has been inserted in the starting lineup over the last five Rockets games and is showing a dimension of his game not witnessed at Kentucky. Instead of relying on his offensive skills and jumpshot, Jones is earning his minutes on the defensive end. An area the Rockets are in dire need of trying to solidify.

During his five starts Jones has had double digit rebounds three times. The other two games he narrowly missed the mark. What’s impressive about Jones’s rebounds is that he is getting a fair share of his total rebounds on the offensive end. This has allowed for easy putbacks for himself or another chance at points for the Rockets. Defensively he is also using his 6’9 frame to block shots. He has had twelve blocks over the same five game span, performing with a defensive presence that compliments Dwight Howard perfectly.

Rest assured that Kevin McHale likes what he sees from the young prospect in Terrence Jones. Now Jones must battle the rigorous NBA season to show that he is committed to dedicate himself over the full seven months of the season, and not just a quick span to catch eyes. Jones is currently available in 66% of Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Leagues.