Bobby Jones
(Born 1951)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2019
Card Shown:
2013-14 Panini
Timeless Treasures
Position: PF
Height: 6’9″
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Bobby Jones was an NBA Champion with the Philadelphia 76ers and was known as a top defensive player in both the ABA and NBA. He once set his season goal to get 100 blocks and 100 steals during the season. Jones played a physical game on the court and was not overly concerned with scoring. Although a very efficient scorer, Bobby was content to focus on other areas of the game and to support the higher profile scorers on the team. He was a five-time All-Star in both the ABA and NBA and was honored with the NBA’s first ever Sixth Man of the Year award.
Awards and Honors
- Jones played college basketball at North Carolina under coach Dean Smith. In 1973-74 he was selected to the NCAA AP All-America Second Team.
- In 1983, Bobby won an NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers on a team that included Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, and Andrew Toney.
- After his championship season, Jones was named the 1982-83 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He was the first recipient of this prestigious award.
- Bobby was one of the best defensive players of his time. He was selected to the All-Defensive First Team for ten consecutive years from the 1974-75 season through the 1983-84 season. The first two awards were in the ABA with the last eight in the NBA.
- Jones was a five-time All-Star, selected in 1976 (ABA), 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1982.
Points of Interest
- Bobby played for the Denver Nuggets in the ABA for two years before the Nuggets joined the NBA. He played two more years for the Nuggets in the NBA before being traded and spending the last eight years of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Jones had epilepsy and a heart condition but still enjoyed a very successful pro basketball career. To protect his health, he was on a minutes restriction and only averaged over 30 minutes per game three times during his career (all with the Nuggets). With the 76ers, Bobby averaged 25 minutes per game.
- Bobby prided himself on his defense. He averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.5 steals per game over the course of his career. Only a select few players, including Erving, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon, have achieved this mark and none did it in as few minutes per game as Jones.
- Jones was a member of the 1972 US Olympic basketball team that lost the gold medal, in a very controversial finish, to the Soviet Union. The United States team refused to accept their silver medals, feeling that they had been robbed of the gold.
- Bobby wanted his on-court play to be a positive testimony of his Christian faith. That included treating all people, including the refs, with respect. With that in mind, Bobby never received a technical foul during his 12-year professional basketball career.
Statistics
Bobby Jones Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com