Texas Basketball: 2 players that have achieved greatness this season

1) Texas basketball players reaching great heights

Kai Jones, Power Forward

The seemingly year in and year out process of Smart producing a single big man that is an NBA Draft Lottery-caliber prospect happened again this season. Although it felt like Smart and the Longhorns took a year off from this process last season, there was still a lot of notable talent in the frontcourt rotation, including center Jericho Sims and breakthrough power forward Kai Jones.

But it was the latter of those two important big men for the Longhorns that has really elevated his game to new heights this season. Jones went from showing bits and pieces of promise in his game during his true freshman campaign last year, to rising to become one of the most productive and efficient big men in the Big 12 in a sixth man role this season.

Jones has elevated his game to such a degree this season that he could very well be a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. His unique combination of rim protecting and rebounding ability as an athletic big man, along with the ability to space the floor effectively, makes him a very good fit with what teams at the next level are looking for in the modern day.

So far this season, Jones is the Longhorns leader among bench players averaging 8.7 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks. And he’s shot 57.7 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line. Every single one of those counting stats and shooting percentages is an improvement for Jones compared to last season.

Jones has also registered a team-high 8.1 box plus/minus rating, .185 win shares per 40 minutes, 2.2 total win shares, 120 offensive rating/95 defensive rating, 64.8 true shooting percentage, and a 20.7 player efficiency rating.