Marquette’s Kam Jones Making a Case for National Player of the Year

Marquette guard Kam Jones has been one of the best players in college basketball this season, helping lead the Golden Eagles to an 11-2 record so far this year while being first on the team in points (20.4) and assists (6.4) as well as second on the team in rebounds (4.8). He has affected every part of the offense in a positive way, and has improved on last season’s flaws, making him a truly versatile lead initiator in talks for National Player of the Year.

He has also positioned himself to be a first-round draft pick in a class full of talented guards, and has yet to score fewer than double-digit points a single time this season. He’s shooting 54.0% from the field and 36.1% from three, and sports a blistering 4.26 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, one of the best in the nation amongst qualified guards. Given his sky-high usage percentage, this is one of the most impressive things about his game. He’s had four straight performances of 18 or more points, including a 32-point outburst against Wisconsin where he went 12-for-21 from the field and added six dimes.

Being compared in some respects to James Harden due to an innate ability in isolations and playing at his own pace, Jones uses a 6-foot-5 frame to bully opposing guards in the paint, and possesses a flurry of dribble moves that allow him to knife through defenses and get good looks near the rim. He can also shoot the three off of the bounce, making him dangerous in the pick-and-roll as the ball handler. He’s decently effective at getting to the free-throw line, which will translate to the next level, and though he needs to increase his percentage from the stripe (71.8%), this skill of drawing fouls is highly valuable in the NBA.

Jones is the type of player that can make an immediate impact as a reserve guard in the professional ranks, and one who could earn his way into a starting spot sooner rather than later given his experience. Showing steady improvement year over year, Jones has put himself in a spot where he can be successful against NBA athletes despite the fact he does not blow by players with a quick first step. Instead, he opts to use his size to his advantage and slow things down, allowing him to make good decisions with the ball in his hands. Jones has all the potential to be an effective point guard in the next phase of his career.

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