Wali Jones
Walter Jones (born February 14, 1942) is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'2" (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) guard.
Personal information | |
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Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | February 14, 1942
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Overbrook (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
College | Villanova (1961–1964) |
NBA draft | 1964 / Round: 3 / Pick: 18th overall |
Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
Playing career | 1964–1976 |
Position | Point guard / Shooting guard |
Number | 24, 23, 12, 11, 9 |
Career history | |
1964–1965 | Baltimore Bullets |
1965–1971 | Philadelphia 76ers |
1971–1973 | Milwaukee Bucks |
1974–1975 | Utah Stars |
1975–1976 | Detroit Pistons |
1976 | Philadelphia 76ers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
Points | 6,672 (9.8 ppg) |
Rebounds | 1,471 (2.2 rpg) |
Assists | 2,099 (3.1 apg) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
Born in Philadelphia, Jones played at Overbrook High School, the same school that had produced Wilt Chamberlain a few years earlier. He played college ball for coach Jack Kraft at Villanova University where he would earn Philadelphia's BIG-5 Player of the Year honors 2x in a row for 1963 and 1964 and become a 3rd-Team All-American as a senior.
In his first NBA season, Jones played for the Baltimore Bullets and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. The next season, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers where he would play for the next six years.
Jones and Hal Greer were the starting guards on the 1966–67 76ers team that also featured Chamberlain, Chet Walker, Lucious Jackson, Billy Cunningham and included fellow Villanova alum - Bill Melchionni. That team went 68-13 during the regular season, then easily won three playoff series in dethroning the eight-time defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Jones made the 76ers' starting lineup after Larry Costello tore his Achilles tendon on January 6, 1967. The NBA Champion 1967 Philadelphia 76ers squad is considered one of the greatest teams ever assembled in NBA history.
Later, Jones played for the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Stars.
Jones' son Askia[1] is the third-leading scorer in Kansas State University basketball history and played briefly in the NBA himself, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Notes
- 40 Nuggets for 40-Team NIT, by Mike Douchant, College Sporting News, published March 11, 2002
External links
- Wali Jones NBA statistics, basketballreference.com