SLAM Fresh 50 – 2014

by Franklyn Calle / @FrankieC7

After averaging 28 points and 8 assists per game as a sophomore at Apple Valley (MN), Tyus Jones seemed to have slowed down a bit during his junior year when his numbers dropped to 20 points and 7 assists this past season. But then the spring came, aka the start of the AAU circuit, where Jones has been flat-out dominating the scene. When looking at his numbers in the Nike EYBL, where it’s safe to say most of the nation’s best players converge, as of last week in 13 games played through the first three sessions, he was leading the entire league/nation in points (301), assists (6.8 per game) and steals (3.0 per game) and was second in scoring average (23.2 per game).

And although the stats for this past weekend’s fourth session haven’t been added yet, it can be expected that not much has changed as far as where Jones stands in the aforementioned categories, especially considering that he went 4-0 during the weekend and included a 25-point, 8-asssist, 5-steal performance, all around his off-season average. Obviously, numbers don’t mean everything, but they never lie. At this point, the 6-0 guard out of Minnesota has emerged as the smartest and most efficient player in his class, with the greatest feel for the game and most superb court vision. He can consistently sink the jumper from downtown with the best of them and can also finish at the rim over anyone with the best of them—not to mention his defensive tenacity, as reflected in his steals count. Long story short, there hasn’t been a single player who’s been performing as well as Jones has in this young AAU season, and thus for the time being, he is well deserving of the top spot. He continues to draw Chris Paul comparisons, and while it might be a little early for that, he’s most definitely on his way.

The word is that Jones and Jahlil Okafor are a package deal when it pertains to their college selection, with rumors being that Duke seems to be leading all suitors, although there isn’t much that confirms those claims. Nonetheless, their recruiting is definitely worth keeping a close eye on.

UNC has been the biggest benefactor from this class thus far with three of the top-15 prospects in this list, and still counting. But with the summer on the horizon, and most of the bigger names not expected to commit until the fall at the earliest, the list is bound to change.