Dillon Jones talks his big summer, NBA Draft process and returning to Weber State
Columbia native Dillon Jones has made a big impact in college at Weber State.
Jones, who played at Keenan High School before finishing his career at Sunrise Christian in Kansas, was a first-team all-Big Sky selection last season and had one of the best seasons in Weber State history, averaging 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He had 20 double-doubles, third most in Division I.
After the season, Jones entered his name in the NBA Draft. He earned an invite to the G-League Combine and worked his way to an invite to the NBA Combine.
Jones eventually pulled out of the draft and returned to college. He says he learned a lot going into his junior season. He has two years of eligibility left because of the COVID pandemic.
ESPN projects Jones to go late in the second round in the 2024 NBA Draft, while CBS Sports has him as one of the 10 players who can improve their pro stock the most during this upcoming season.
The State caught up with Jones recently while he was helping coach the Upward Stars AAU team at the adidas 3SSB championships at the Rock Hill Events Center.
Lou Bezjak: What did you get out of going through the NBA Draft process?
Dillon Jones: “I think I got out of it confidence, that I am good enough. It validated everything I have done at this point, all the hard work. I always felt like I belonged, but going there and validating myself, it also gave me more confidence for the upcoming year.”
LB: What kind of feedback did you get from NBA teams?
DJ: “Things that I can continue to work and control. I am going to continue to work on my shot like I did every year since I got to college. Teams want to see me continue to make shots from the outside and continue to clean up my body. Really lock in on those things and I will be right where I want to be.”
LB: What were the teams you worked out for?
DJ: “Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.”
LB: How close did you come to staying in the NBA Draft?
DJ: “Real close. It came all the way down to the end. I texted my agent earlier in the day and he texted me about three hours later asking me did I turn my paperwork in yet? I was like, ‘No, because I hadn’t made my decision yet.’ I was so back and forth. I had a flight back to Columbia after my Memphis workout and I sent the email literally as I was backing up. I couldn’t even tell my head coach until I landed.”
LB: You see guys in your position as a senior transfer from mid-majors to a bigger school. Why did you stay at Weber State?
DJ: “I know a lot of players that play that aren’t in good situations that would die to be in a good situation. I have been blessed to be in one. So I thought there was never a reason to put that in jeopardy. I feel like what I’ve got at Weber State is certain. I don’t know what is out there in the transfer portal — a lot of that is uncertain. Another big thing is, I am not driven by money. The NIL stuff is crazy and I don’t really make money at Weber State. That’s not why I play anyway. I play for the love of the game, and throughout this whole thing this has been validated. I would say that is my whole take on the transfer thing.”
LB: What are some of your goals for your senior season?
DJ: “I want to be able to win a championship. I haven’t won one since Keenan. It feels like forever. Being that team is good and really close, I don’t know when I will be in that position again. Personally, I just want to continue to get better. I haven’t thought too in-depth about it.”
LB: You spent time helping coach Upward Stars, your old AAU team. Is coaching in your future when you are done playing?
DJ: “Coaching has been fun. You are able to come back and reach the kids. Since I have been a player, I always had that itch for coaching. (Keenan High coach Zach) Norris used to call me Coach Jones. My coaches at Weber State tell me I see the game as a coach not as a player sometimes. So it is good to scratch the coaching itch when I come back. And we will see what happens in the future.”
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