Just two years removed from retiring as an NBA player from the Cleveland Cavaliers on the heels of seven straight NBA Finals appearances, Miami basketball alum James Jones is ready for his first draft as the Phoenix Suns General Manager.
The meteoric rise of James Jones as general manager of the Phoenix Suns began during his playing career when was a players union representative. His career as an NBA administrator can help change the perception of the Miami basketball program taking a lesser status to football.
Jones was initially hired by Phoenix barely over a month after his playing career ended in 2017. Jones began his Suns tenure as vice president of basketball operations. He was elevated to interim general manager in October 2018 and recently named the franchise’s permanent general manager.
Jones will conduct his first draft as the director of personnel for an NBA franchise on Thursday night. The Suns are building around 2018 first pick
and high scoring guard
Miami alum
had been with Phoenix until prior to the 2018-19 season.
Earlier this month The Athletic’s Shandel Richardson published an exceptional long-form article interviewing Jones about his Miami roots and where his interesting in becoming an NBA Executive began. Jones rapid ascension to becoming the leader of the Suns’ franchise is rare in professional sports.
Don’t forget 7 time finals playing ,
— Emilio (@TunechiGrande) May 29, 2019
3 x NBA champion , university of Miami’s very own James Jones
Jones discussed at length the importance of his roots in Miami and getting his start as a representative in the players union. He exemplified during his career the importance of being a good teammate and filling a role. Jones leadership and three-point shooting created a niche and long NBA career.
"“The management of the union was important to me, to work in that professional setting. Playing with my teammates on all those great teams allowed me to be close to greatness but far enough away where I could really observe and figure out what the foundation principles and foundation necessities are to build a championship environment and team. Making that transition and deciding to walk away from the game while I still had some juice left, for me, it let me know that this was something I wanted to pursue. It was something I chose to pursue rather than being just a convenient option.” “I realize I got here because of the people that poured into me, and I want to be remembered as a guy from Miami — which was predominantly a football city, a football town — who actually excelled in basketball and did some things that were never seen before. I look forward to the challenge and I hope at some point James Jones can be remembered as a guy that kind of broke the mold. I’ve always felt, as a player, I was in control of my teammates’ fate. I was invested in the outcome. If I didn’t bring everything that I needed to bring to the court and we didn’t win, changes happen when you lose. It’s just different. Now, I’m blessed with the opportunity to make a lot of guys’ dreams come true. That’s invigorating for me. That’s exciting… I think it molded me and it molded my mentality, how I approached the game and how I approached this job. So I’m forever appreciative…I’m eternally grateful to the guys for investing in me, and I think the investment is paying off.”"
Jones legacy in Miami extends far beyond his career as a player on the court, as a player representative during his career and as a front office executive off of it. His roots in Miami are deep. Unlike many players, Jones remembers where he comes from and gives back. It is an M.O. similar to LeBron James.
Many wealthy people, celebrities or not will donate money and their name to a cause and that’s where their involvement ends. Jones goes far beyond that.