Golden State selected 24-year-old forward LJ Jones from Florida State with the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft overnight Wednesday to Thursday. The 2.01-meter player, who may begin his career with the Warriors’ G League team, is the son of an Israeli mother living in Florida and has visited Israel several times.
Jones, who uses the Hebrew name Ari Jones, displays his Jewish identity publicly on Instagram with an Israeli flag and Star of David. He has said in the past that he wanted to play in the Maccabiah Games, does not have Israeli citizenship, and celebrates Israeli holidays. His father, a former basketball player who once worked out with the Dallas Mavericks, has been a central influence on his career and helped shape him into a vocal defender.
Jones took an unusual path to the NBA, starting at Tarleton State as a reserve before one year at St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. He then moved to Florida State and posted 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals and a block per game, while shooting 32.5% from three. He scored 28 points against Duke, whose roster included John Shire and Cam Boozer, the No. 3 pick in the draft.
Scouts value Jones for his athleticism, work ethic and defensive versatility, even though his shooting still needs improvement and he creates limited offense for himself. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic ranked him 99th and projected him at No. 54, but Golden State ended up taking him much earlier. The Warriors believe his movement, fast decision-making, ability to guard multiple positions and fit in a switching defense could earn him minutes quickly, especially with the team’s broader roster constraints and Jimmy Butler’s injury. Jones has also told Israeli media he would like to play for Israel’s national team if approached in the future.
