Derrick Jones is an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association’s Chicago Bulls (NBA).
Before joining the Phoenix Suns in 2016, he played one collegiate basketball season for the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels.
Derric is tall and athletic, and he plays great defense. He disrupts shooters and deflects passes with his 7-foot wingspan.
The player’s agility and length enable him to deliver an amazing block shot. At his position, Derrick is a top-tier offensive rebounder.
Moreover, the player’s ability to cover territory fast on defense has contributed to his success and the utilization of zone-based strategies on various occasions.
In this article, we have added up all the career and personal details of the NBA player, Derrick Jones. So, do read the article to the end.
However, before that, go through the quick facts about Jones.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. |
Birth Date | February 15, 1997 |
Birth Place | Chester, Pennsylvania |
Nick Name | Jones |
Religion | Christianity |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African American |
High School | Archbishop John Carroll (Radnor, Pennsylvania) |
College | University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
Playing Career | 2016–present |
Zodiac | Pisces |
Chinese Zodiac | Ox |
Father’s Name | Derrick Jones Sr. |
Mother’s Name | Otiesse Jones |
Siblings | One brother (Lakeem Johnson) and Two sisters (Dej’sha Jones and On’Jesha Jones) |
Age | 27 years old |
Height | 6 feet 6 inches |
Weight | 95 kg |
NBA Debut | November 19, 2016 |
Shoots | Left |
Tattoos | Yes |
Food Habits | Non-vegetarian |
NBA Draft | Undrafted |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Black |
Career Highlights and Awards |
|
Build | Athletic |
Children | Two |
Wife | Shakara |
Jersey Number | 5 |
Position | Small Forward and Power Forward |
Profession | Basketball Player |
League | NBA |
Net Worth | $1-$5 million |
Salary | $9,258,000 |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | Cards |
Last Update | November 2024 |
Derrick Jones: Early Life and Family
Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on February 15, 1997. His father’s name is Derrick Jones Sr. Likewise, his mother’s name is Otiesse Jones.
The player has one brother named Lakeem Johnson. Similarly, he also has two sisters, Dej’sha Jones and On’Jesha Jones.
He attended Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor, Pennsylvania. For his further education, he enrolled himself at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Derrick Jones: High School Career
In 2014–15, Derrick was voted Southeastern Pennsylvania Player of the Year, Delaware County Player of the Year, and PIAA Triple-A Player of the Year.
Moreover, his team was also the first-team All-Catholic League. Hence, Derrick had a great year as a senior at Archbishop John Carroll High School.
Archbishop Carroll went 23–7 overall, with a 12–3 record in conference play, under coach Paul Romanczuk in 2014–15. Derrick had 30 points, 18 rebounds, and five blocked shots in the state tournament semifinals.
He also averaged 19.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game this season. During his high school career, the player scored 1,645 points, grabbed 1,029 rebounds, and blocked 268 shots.
As a result, Derrick finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
Derrick Jones: College Career
In the 2015–16 NCAA season, Derrick joined the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels as a freshman.
The NCAA Eligibility Center asked that the ACT examine test results reported by Jones and many other minority student-athletes at a specific testing facility in Baltimore, Maryland, prior to the season’s commencement.
Despite this, Derrick was approved by the NCAA before UNLV’s first game in November versus Cal Poly.
Additionally, Derrick was the second-leading scorer for the Runnin’ Rebels in 2015–16. In 30 games, he averaged 11.5 points on 58.9 percent shooting and 4.5 rebounds.
During the season, the player had four double-doubles, including a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds versus Chaminade in the Maui Invitational Tournament.
On February 29, 2016, the ACT testing agency told UNLV that Derrick’s score had been annulled. As a result, Jones was ruled ineligible to compete by the NCAA and was forced to miss the final three games of UNLV’s season.
Derrick Jones: Professional Career
Derrick declared for the 2016 NBA draft on April 7, 2016. However, Jones did not hire an agent and left open the possibility of returning to UNLV or attending another collegiate program.
Later, Jones acquired an agent and stayed in the draft. The player was undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and then joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2016 NBA Summer League.
Unfortunately, Derrick was unable to participate in the Kings throughout the tournament due to a groin ailment. The player signed a training camp contract with the Phoenix Suns on September 25, 2016.
He earned a place on the Suns’ opening-night roster after impressing the team during training camp and the preseason.
The player was acquired by the Northern Arizona Suns on December 12, 2017. However, the deal did not last long. Derrick signed a two-way deal with the Miami Heat on December 31, 2017.
Jones, who was signed to a two-way deal, spent his time between the Heat and its NBA G League franchise, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
On January 9, 2018, he got his first start for the Heat in only his third game, earning eight points, five rebounds, one assist, and two blocks in 28 minutes against the Toronto Raptors.
Likewise, Derrick signed a two-year, $3.2 million standard deal with the Heat on July 1, 2018.
Jones agreed to terms with the Portland Trail Blazers on a two-year, $19 million contract on November 22, 2020.
He was acquired by the Chicago Bulls on August 28, 2021, along with a first and second-round selection in a three-team sign-and-trade that also included the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Derrick Jones: Injury
Like all the other NBA players, Derrick Jones is also not new to injury. The player’s performance has time and again been interrupted by various injuries.
Derrick suffered a right knee injury on January 12, 2022, during a 112–138 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets.
The Bulls stated the next day that he had a bone bruise and would be out for at least 4-to-6 weeks, however that timeframe was later revised to 2-to-4 weeks.
The Bulls announced on January 26 that Jones had broken his right index finger during a workout and will be out for another 6-to-8 weeks.
Derrick Jones: 2020 Dunk Slam Winner
Derrick Jones Jr. won the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, despite some criticism.
Aaron Gordon scored a perfect 50 on each of his first five dunks of the night. However, he lost to Jones by one point in the second tiebreaker, scoring a 47 on an amazing slam over Boston Celtics 7’5″ Tacko Fall.
Although Gordon lost and there was some debate regarding the judges’ desire for the second tiebreaker to also result in a tie, Derrick’s performance should not be undermined.
It is a well-agreed fact that Derrick has developed as one of the league’s top dunkers in recent years.
Jones followed up his 46 on his opening dunk of the night with a perfect 50 on four straight slams. The judges then gave him a 48 on his last dunk, a fantastic slam in which he got a lot of air on his way up.
Derrick’s most amazing dunk of the night, though, was his first slam of the finals, in which he went between his knees while dunking over two people.
Derrick Jones: Age, Body Measurements, and more
Derrick Jones was born in Chester in the year 1997. Hence, he is 27 years old. Likewise, the player is born in the Ox year, according to the Chinese calendar.
The NBA player stands tall at the height of 6 feet 6 inches. Likewise, he weighs about 100kg. Unfortunately, Derrick’s other body measurements are not known.
Derrick’s zodiac is Pisces. People with the Pisces sign are said to be loyal, determined, and compassionate. We must agree that the Derrick Jones is no different.
Derrick Jones: Tattoos
Talking about Jones’ other physical appearances, he has several tattoos carved on his body.
The athlete has a tattoo of a dove bird soaring in front of the sun on his right shoulder. Around the sun, the words “In Memory OF My Fallen Brother” are also tattooed.
Similarly, his right arm has a tattoo of two hands linked in prayer beneath the dove tattoo.
This tattoo of Derrick depicts his religious beliefs.
Likewise, the player has a tattoo of a pair of wings on the inside side of his right forearm, as well as a pattern that covers the majority of his inner arm. Along with the artwork, the words “Truly Blessed” are tattooed.
Derrick has a massive tattoo spanning much of his chest that has yet to be completely displayed. On the corners, there are some lines and text that hint at a larger work. Additionally, a word is tattooed on the athlete’s right bicep.
The player also has a ‘Face and Flower’ Tattoo. Aman’s face is tattooed on the inside side of his left forearm. Above the face is a shield with a cross on it, and below the shield are two wings. A flower is also tattooed beneath the man.
Likewise, on the inside side of his left lower thigh, Derrick also has a tattoo of a lion’s face. Moreover, another pattern is tattooed on the outside of his right lower thigh.
Exercise and Workout Routine
The NBA player’s exercise regimen on the court begins with stretching and jogging drills to warm up his body.
Derrick Jones Jr. transitions to form shooting after completing a warm-up ranging from 1 to 3 points. He continues to shoot the ball from one side of the floor to the other.
He’s known for some insane dunks, particularly because of the leap he makes virtually flying over players. In practicing exercise routines, he dunks a lot of balls.
Derrick performs a lot of weight training; his goal is to lift heavy and make every rep as explosive as possible.
Moreover, the player conducts a full-body exercise, focusing on the calves, core, legs, and glutes, which is the key to his incredible vertical leaps.
Diet
Derrick’s diet plan is simple yet effective. He consumes plenty of water and consumes protein-rich foods with adequate carbohydrates and appropriate fats throughout the day.
Likewise, the player consumes a protein drink before beginning his training and attempts to consume up to five meals each day. The meals are usually chicken, turkey, salmon, oats, salad, and so on.
Derrick Jones: Family
Shakara looks to be Derrick Jone Jr’s girlfriend for the time being, since the NBA player has yet to proclaim her as his bride.
Derrick and Shakara are not married in the traditional sense. They do, however, live together in Chester, Pennsylvania.
They’ve been living together for nearly seven years. Shakara is a model and social media influencer at the moment.
On Instagram, the NBA player has a slew of photos with his girlfriend.
Kids
Derrick Jones and his girlfriend, Shakara, have two adorable children named Prince and Roman.
The couple appears to be in a happy relationship and they frequently mention each other on social media.
On February 1, 2018, they welcomed their child (son), Prince, into the world. He is three years old now.
Similarly, on March 29, 2019, the couple welcomed their second son, Roman. Their second child is now two years old.
On the occasion of mother’s day in 2021, the player posted a picture of Shakara appreciating her as the mother of his children. The player wrote:
“Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful queens in my life. I love you all wouldn’t be the man I am today without y’all.”
Derrick Jones: Social Media
- Instagram: 436k Followers (As of April 2022)
- Twitter: 33.1k Followers (As of April 2022)
Derrick Jones: Net Worth
The basketball player’s estimated net worth lies somewhere between $1-$5 Million. The primary source of his earnings is playing basketball.
Apart from that, the player is also engaged in various endorsements and sponsorship deals. Jones inked a multi-year footwear and apparel sponsorship agreement with Puma following his dunk slam contest victory.
In the 2019-20 season, the player earned $1,645,357 with the Miami Heat. Likewise, the player earned $9,258,000 with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2020-21.
The player will earn a base salary of $9,720,900 in 2021-22, with a cap hit of $9,720,900 as well as a dead cap value of $9,720,900.
FAQs
Did Derrick Jones participate in Dunk Slam Contest before 2020?
Yes, Jones was chosen to participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2017. He advanced to the final round of the Slam Dunk Contest. However, he was defeated by Glenn Robinson III.