Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Former Rebel Derrick Jones invited to NBA dunk contest

Runnin Rebel Madness Basketball Party

L.E. Baskow

UNLV’s Derrick Jones, Jr., 1, passes the ball between his legs on his way to the hoop during a dunk contest apart of the Runnin Rebel Madness basketball season tipoff celebration party downtown at the Las Vegas Events Center on Thursday, October 22, 2015.

Derrick Jones was only at UNLV for one abbreviated season, but it didn’t take long for Rebels fans to recognize the 6-foot-7 forward’s dynamic dunking ability. It looks like the NBA is catching on quickly, too, as Jones has been invited to participate in the league’s dunk contest during All-Star Weekend, according to ESPN.

Jones has not yet announced whether he will accept the invitation. The competition will take place Feb. 18 at the Smoothie King Center, home of the New Orleans Pelicans and the site of the All-Star Game the following night.

Jones, a Philadelphia native, averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman at UNLV. His lone college campaign was cut short when the NCAA revoked his eligibility for the final three games of the season due to concerns over his high school test scores.

With his future eligibility in question, Jones declared for the NBA draft but was not selected. The Phoenix Suns picked him up as an undrafted free agent, mostly on the basis of his frame and athletic ability, and Jones has spent most of this season with the Suns’ D-League affiliate.

Jones has only appeared in two NBA games this season, but he’s had a solid season with the D-League’s Northern Arizona Suns, averaging 14.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. Most of his dunking has come at the D-League level, but no one should doubt Jones’ ability to put on a show.

The dunk contest has a mixed history of champions, with past winners ranging from Hall of Fame-types (Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins) to one-and-done journeymen (Desmond Mason, Fred Jones, Terrance Ross). Isaiah Rider, who graduated from UNLV in 1993, is the only former Rebel to win the NBA dunk contest. Rider claimed the crown as a rookie in 1994 with a between-the-legs throwdown he dubbed “The East Bay Funk Dunk.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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