Sacramento Kings’ youngster takes advantage of rare opportunity 

As a second-round pick on a team with playoff aspirations, Colby Jones did not get many chances with the Sacramento Kings so far. He mostly only played garbage time in the NBA while honing his game in the G League. 

In 13 games with the successful Stockton Kings, Jones averaged 19.8 points on efficient shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2 steals. The 21-year-old is a jack of all trades, leaving his mark on every aspect of the game. 

Now, he is getting a shot with Mike Brown’s squad. Coach Brown rewards players for competing and playing the right way in limited minutes. Keon Ellis is the best example of that. He battled in a game that was already lost, got a shot in the rotation, and hasn’t looked back since. 

Jones just had a similar moment on Friday. The Kings needed a win in Boston, and, desperate for a spark off the bench, Brown threw his rookie in the mix. He didn't put up big numbers, and the team didn’t win, but Jones battled and was rewarded for it. 

Colby Jones just played one of his best NBA games of the season

With Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter both sidelined, the Kings are short-handed, which opened up some room in the rotation for Jones. The Nets are not the most formidable opponent this season, but that doesn’t matter for a rookie trying to claim NBA minutes. 

In 23 minutes, he put up 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 steals, doing a little bit of everything. The youngster is still a little shy offensively, passing up threes at times, but he earned another shot and might get it against the Thunder. 

At 6’6”, Jones provides solid size and some nice positional versatility between one and three. His time in the NBA may not be here quite yet, but it will be soon, and if the Kings can develop him well, he could be a valuable addition to any future squad in Sacramento. Jones is still young and has plenty of room to grow, but he definitely has the skill set of a good NBA role player.