9. Evaluating Blue-White Duke basketball contributor Bates Jones
Combined stats for Bates Jones:
- 23 minutes
- Four points
- 2-for-4 from the field, 0-for-2 from three
- Five rebounds
- One assist
- Zero blocks
- Zero steals
- Two turnovers
Although grad transfer Bates Jones did not come away with a steal or block, he played reasonably scrappy, heady D in the paint, particularly early in the first scrimmage when guarding Paolo Banchero. That said, as pointed out in the coming Banchero slide, Jones was at least a step or two too slow to keep up with Banchero on the perimeter.
Offensively, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound power forward proved to be a decent 3-point shooter off the bench in his last two seasons at Davidson. But Jones failed to find the bottom of the net in his Duke basketball debut; in fairness, though, he saw only two attempts, and his stroke looked promising.
Except for 3-pointers, Jones may rarely find any buckets beyond the putback variety this season. However, the 22-year-old Charlotte native — younger brother to former Duke football star and current New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones — should be able to fill in as a Blue Devil big if injuries or foul trouble necessitate his presence.
Player grade: 74 (C)