NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Watch: Tre Jones

What the experts say

ESPN [$] (Jonathan Givony): 33rd

The Athletic [$] (Sam Vecenie): 24th

Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo): 49th

Sporting News (Chris Stone): 26th

Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wassermann): 21st

Quotes:

Being down on Jones more than the general consensus, Woo explained why Jones’ reliability and name reputation may lead to him being selected higher than where his game could translate in the NBA:

"“An unspectacular but solid floor leader, Jones has helped Duke stay solid this season amid heavy roster turnover and the absence of elite talent. That only goes so far, but the thought is that he’ll end up being a capable game manager as a backup guard in the NBA as well. Though his size limits him against bigger athletes, Jones works hard defensively and distributes the ball well, and he’s made some small strides as a jump shooter and at least marginally answered some of those questions. But he just isn’t that dangerous a threat to score in the halfcourt, and the upside here isn’t immense. That said, Jones could be drafted higher than this based off reputation.”"

Meanwhile, SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell outlined why Jones’ decision to return for his sophomore season at Duke paid off in the best way possible, and highlighted his signature performance of the season:

"“Jones was thought to be a possible first-round pick after his freshman season playing with Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, but made the surprising decision to return to Duke for his sophomore year. All he did this season was win ACC Player of the Year. Jones upped his usage, increased in his scoring efficiency, and continued to make a big impact defensively. Just ask Cole Anthony how he feels about Jones’ defense: as Anthony shot 4-of-14 against Duke in their final meeting, Jones finished with 21 points, 11 assists, and the win.”"