His name isn’t mentioned as often as it should be. But Sam Jones played a vital role in the Celtics dynasty, the most dominant of all time. Winner of 10 NBA titles and known for his signature bank shot and great clutch shooting, Jones’ perfect form was a treat to the eyes every time he pulled up to shoot the ball.
One of the best shooting guards of all time and a master in both the regular season and the playoffs, ‘Mr. Clutch’ helped John Havlicek and Bill Russell rule the game almost at will for over a decade.
That’s why today, we’re going to honor one of the best players in Celtics’ backcourt history, a five-time NBA All-Star, and one of the few players who could average 20+ points per game in four consecutive seasons at the time: Samuel Jones.
Sam Jones – Early Life
Sam Jones was born June 24, 1933, in Wilmington, NC. He grew up as a two-sport athlete and dreamed of playing baseball and well as basketball. He shined at a young age at Laurinburg Institute.
Sam Jones – North Carolina Central University
Back in the day, not many D-1 college programs dared recruit African American players. That led Sam Jones to stay close to home. Jones joined North Carolina Central (then known as North Carolina College), an HBCU that wasn’t even a part of the NCAA at the time. There, he was under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach John McLendon.
Sam Jones was a walking bucket during his college days. He scored over 1,700 points in his four seasons at North Carolina Central College and became one of the greatest hoopers in NC basketball history.
On top of that, Sam Jones served in the U.S. Army for a couple of years and went back to college to earn a degree in teaching.
Sam Jones – Snubbing The Los Angeles Lakers
Long before the Boston Celtics developed their hard-fighting rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, Sam Jones was already giving the Lakers franchise headaches. At the time, however, they were still known as the Minneapolis Lakers.
The Lakers took him in the 1956 NBA Draft as an eight-rounder. Nonetheless, he snubbed them and decided to go back to college and earn his degree after fulfilling his military service. Due to now-voided NBA rules, they lost his rights.
Sam Jones – A Boston Celtics Star
Four days fresh off winning the NBA championship, legendary coach Red Auerbach got right back to work. Boston selected Jones as the eighth overall pick in the 1957 NBA Draft, even though he had actually never seen him play.
Auerbach listen to former Wake Forest coach ‘Bones McKinney’, who told him Jones was the best player in NC after watching him thrive in his Alma Mater. Needless to say, that choice was a big head-scratcher among NBA circles, as not even Jones could believe what just happened.
In fact, Jones admitted he never wanted to play for the Celtics and thought it was the end of his basketball career because he wasn’t good enough to get significant playing time in the best team in the world:
“I never felt so miserable in my life when I got the news,” Jones said of being taken by the Celtics. “I really thought it was the end of my basketball career. Sure, I was thrilled with the honor… I never thought I’d be able to break into the game, let alone into the lineup.”
Jones’ play eventually helped him take over Bill Sharman in the starting lineup. Sam teamed up with Russell and the shooting guard gave the team something no other team in the league had at a time: A proficient jump shot that was money nearly every time.
With his combination of size, speed, and aggressiveness, Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach and the Boston Celtics ruled the NBA despite Wilt Chamberlain being the greatest sensation in NBA arenas and leading the Philadelphia Warriors to contention, winning eleven NBA championships in 13 seasons.
Sam Jones – Coaching Career
Sam Jones was a lock to make the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, so he decided to try his luck as a coach as well. He took his talents to the University of the District of Columbia, then known as the Federal City College. He spent four years there before coming back home to coach North Carolina Central for one season. Then, the next year, he became an assistant coach for the New Orleans Jazz but retired from coaching after just one season.
Sam Jones – One Of The Winningest In NBA History
Even though we don’t talk about him that much, Sam Jones is the true definition of a winner. As a matter of fact, he trails just Bill Russell (11) as the winningest player in NBA history after winning 10 rings.
Of course, plenty of people will still look down on him and state that he won that many rings because of Bill Russell. Nonetheless, Jones was the perfect complement for coach Red Auerbach and his squad and one of the best scorers of his time. He was a clutch scorer who gave the Celtics multiple big-time buckets. Also, he led the team in scoring five times, being their go-to guy on the offensive end of the floor.
His peers and rivals deemed him ‘The Shooter’ thanks to his unmatched shooting form and ability to knock down shots from all over the floor, even in an era where the three-pointer wasn’t invented.
Jones’ game would’ve translated perfectly to today’s game, as he was a tall guard strong enough to match up with some small forwards as well. The bank was always open for him and his bank shot, and he had the ability to turn the lane with a rangy offensive game to create havoc out of the backcourt.
Sam Jones – Awards And Accolades
Throughout his remarkable NBA career, Sam Jones made it to the All-NBA Second Team three times. He was also selected to play in five NBA All-Star Games and was a member of the NBA’s 25th, 50th, and 75th-anniversary teams. Also, the Boston Celtics retired his no. 24 jersey, which is unsurprising after he helped them win 10 NBA Championships.
Jones was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame, and was the first African-American athlete to be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He was also an inaugural member of the American Basketball Hall of Fame.
Over his 13-year career with the Celtics, ‘Mr. Clutch’ scored 15,411 points, grabbed 4,305 rebounds, and handed out 2,209 assists for averages of 17.7 points per game to go along with 4.9 boards per game, and 2.5 dimes per game, according to Basketball-Reference. He was also named to three All-Conference teams in college.
Sam Jones – Net Worth
Sam Jones is believed to have a net worth of between $5 – $10 million. He accrued his wealth largely through his successful career as an NBA star, where he was a ten-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion. Jones also continued to earn money after his basketball career ended through investments in real estate and business ventures.
Where did Sam Jones go to college?
After an amazing collegiate career playing for legendary coach John McLendon at North Carolina Central College, where he scored over 1,700 points, Sam teamed up with K.C. Jones on the Boston Celtics to create one of the most dynamic backcourts in NBA history.
Is former Celtic Sam Jones still alive?
Boston Celtics and NBA legend Sam Jones passed away on Friday, December 31, 2021 due to natural causes. A team spokesperson for the Celtics confirmed the news.
How tall was Sam Jones of the Celtics?
Jones, at 6-foot-4, was the perfect embodiment of a tall guard who could run quickly up and down the floor, jump high to snag rebounds, and had an agile offensive game that befuddled opponents.
