Texas Basketball: 3 ultra-efficient players that are surprising this season

2) Efficient Texas basketball players

Definitely the most efficient overall player for the Longhorns so far this season, and likely the most positive surprise, is the former underrated four-star recruit and 6-foot-11 and 215 pound sophomore power forward Kai Jones. The native of Nassau, Bahamas, and the Brewster Academy product is having a sensational start to the regular season, in a still limited role.

Jones is sitting exactly with 20 minutes played per game, and has started in just one of the five games he’s played in so far this season. Last season, he started 10 of the 27 games he played in, but averaged around three less minutes on the floor per game.

In the five games played so far this season for Jones, mostly coming off the bench, he posted some sparkling per game stats and advanced metrics for the Longhorns. He’s averaged 10.0 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and no blocks. And he’s shot an amazing 86.4 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 72.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Jones has also registered a double-double per 40 minutes (with exactly 20 points per 40 minutes and 10 rebounds). He’s amassed a team-high 14.1 box plus/minus rating, .305 win shares per 40 minutes, 152 offensive rating/88 defensive rating, 91.8 true shooting percentage, and 28.8 player efficiency rating.

While those advanced metrics might not hold up for much longer for Jones, what he’s doing could be somewhat sustainable and he’s really rising to the occasion to start the 2020-21 campaign.