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Kam Jones has been the upperclassman standout of this draft so far

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Marquette combo guard Kam Jones received a first round grade from yours truly last season, but he opted to return to the Golden Eagles instead to assume a larger role in the absence of Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro.

That decision was viewed skeptically by some; Jones was signing up to be a year older on draft night while putting himself up against a much stronger crop of prospects. Well, don't look now, but Jones is straight-up one of the best players in college basketball — maybe the best.

He's averaging 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on .582/.413/.714 splits. It has been 10 games, so regression to the mean is inevitable, but Jones' shot-making hasn't skipped a beat. His shifty handles, bonafide pull-up shooting, and crafty at-rim finishing are translating to career-best efficiency on career-best volume — all while embracing point guard duties like never before. He's setting up the Marquette offense. His fingerprints are all over the 9-1 Golden Eagles' success.

He leads college basketball in BPM right now. He's having a special season. The 23-year-old demands your attention.

Profile: 6’5”, 200
Senior (22)

Stats (as of 12/10/24):

20.3 PTS | 4.7 REB | 6.5 AST | 1.7 STL | 0.3 BLK

58.6 FG% | 42.2 3P% | 71.4 FT%

10 Games | 31.7 MIN

Metcalf: Kam Jones is making the rare evolution from spark plug sixth man to offensive engine. Jones’s growth as a playmaker, defender, and decision-maker this year has been astounding. Despite losing Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, Marquette hasn’t lost a step—largely due to Jones’s ascendence. While Jones is a really fun player, he is also a great fit for the Jazz. He can act as a table setter for their plethora of scorers, run a tremendous two-man game, and defend at a competent level. Whether it’s as a backup point guard or a long-term starting option, Jones would help provide some needed point guard depth.

Jon Wasserman wrote:Kam Jones (Marquette, PG/SG)

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Previous Mock Position: No. 28
Size: 6'5", 205 lbs
Age: 22
Nationality: USA
Pro Comparison: Malik Monk

A proven shotmaker and consistently one of the more efficient rim-finishing guards in college hoops, Kam Jones has now taken off this year as a playmaker (6.4 assists).

Being 23 years old by draft night historically impacts draft stock, but it's getting tough to poke holes in a 6'5" combo with 273 career threes, a functional floater game, three consecutive seasons above 65.0 percent around the basket and gradually improving playmaking skills.

John Hollinger wrote:Kam Jones, 6-5 Sr. SG, Marquette

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I wrote about Jones already and don’t want to repeat too much, but suffice it to say, Jones continues to be the most productive perimeter player in college basketball by a wide margin. Jones will be 23 on draft night, but his story is a bit different from some other older players because analytics models have been on him since his sophomore year.

Despite his age, he might be the one player on this list who I think has the best odds of crashing the lottery, Devin Carter-style, given his ready-made skill set for the next level and multi-year history of elite production as a collegian.

Kam Jones (Marquette, PG/SG)

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Size: 6'5", 205 lbs
Age: 22
Nationality: USA
Pro Comparison: Malik Monk

Proven shotmaking and consistently strong finishing have been behind Kam Jones' scoring production and efficiency the past three years.

Improved playmaking in a lead-guard role has helped him answer previous doubts. Scouts still sound extra curious to see how he measures, as there is some hesitation to buy his 6'5" listing. Still, it shouldn't matter much for teams that buy the 5.8 assists per game reflecting true playmaking feel.

27. Atlanta Hawks (via Lakers): Kam Jones (Marquette, PG/SG)

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Size: 6'5", 205 lbs
Age: 23
Nationality: USA
Pro Comparison: Malik Monk

Despite losing in overtime to St. John's, Kam Jones had a career game against an elite defense. He flashed his signature one-two punch of shotmaking and clever finishing to score 32 points.

He's become a first-round candidate by improving his playmaking, giving scouts more confidence he could be used more as a combo to create for others. After playing with New York Knicks point guard Tyler Kolek the past few years, Jones really capitalized on the extra on-ball responsibilities this season.

Top 50 prospects to watch in March Madness

27. Kam Jones, PG/SG, Marquette

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Height: 6-4 | Senior | TS%: 55.6%
First game: No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico, Friday, 7:25 p.m. (TBS)

Jones became a first-team, All-Big East selection after taking over as Marquette's de facto point guard following Tyler Kolek's jump to the NBA. After shooting 40% from 3 as a junior, his spike in usage drew increased NBA attention this season, albeit predictably at the cost of some efficiency.

While his average positional size and relatively basic game off the bounce doesn't portend huge upside, Jones has had a strong senior season and offers appeal as a potential bench option at the next level. -- Woo

Kam Jones (Marquette, PG/SG)

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Size: 6'5", 205 lbs
Age: 23
Nationality: USA
Pro Comparison: Malik Monk

Kam Jones didn't have his best game in Marquette's NCAA tournament loss to New Mexico, but he'd entered it averaging 28.0 points over his previous three.

The departure of Tyler Kolek helped unlock his playmaking this year, a key development for a 6'5" guard who has 300-plus career threes and high-level finishing efficiency every season.

Concerns about age or upside possibilities should become less alarming late outside the 20s. Teams just looking for another ball-handler or additional firepower should start to consider Jones once the younger, flashier names are off the board.