Colby Jones Bio
Colby Everette Jones (born May 28, 2002) is an American professional basketball player most recently associated with the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he competed on a two-way contract linked to the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) shooting guard listed at 207 lb (94 kg), Jones first rose to national attention during three seasons with the Xavier Musketeers before being selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Jones has built his career around perimeter scoring, rebounding, and steady on-ball defense. After a freshman All-Freshman campaign in the Big East, an NIT championship, and a pair of NIT Most Valuable Player honors, he transitioned to the professional ranks and has split time between NBA rosters and G League affiliates.
Early Life and Background
Colby Everette Jones was born on May 28, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama, in the United States. He grew up in a family with deep ties to basketball, and that environment helped shape his early development as a player. His father, Chad Jones, played college basketball for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), giving Colby direct exposure to high-level training and competition from a young age.
Jones also has an older brother, C. J., who played college basketball for Arkansas and Middle Tennessee before pursuing a professional career of his own. Watching his brother progress through the college and pro ranks reinforced Colby’s work ethic and gave him a clear template for what a basketball career could look like. The combination of family guidance and a competitive local scene in central Alabama pushed him toward organized basketball at an early age.
Path to Basketball
Jones attended Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, where he broke out as a sophomore. He averaged 23.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, announcing himself as one of the top young prospects in the state. After a coaching change at Pinson, he transferred to Mountain Brook High School in Mountain Brook, Alabama, joining a strong program under coach Bucky McMillan.
At Mountain Brook, Jones played alongside Trendon Watford and helped the school capture its third straight Class 7A state title. As a senior, he stepped into a leading role and averaged 25.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, guiding Mountain Brook to a Class 7A runner-up finish. He was named Over the Mountain Journal Player of the Year, All-South Metro Player of the Year, and Alabama Class 7A Player of the Year. Rated as a four-star recruit, Jones chose Xavier over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and UAB.
Colby Jones Career
Early Career (2020–2023)
Jones enrolled at Xavier in 2020 and immediately faced a setback, missing the first five games of his freshman season due to COVID-19 contact tracing. He made an immediate impact once he stepped on the court, hitting a game-winning three-pointer in the final second of a 74–73 win over Providence on January 10, 2021, and later scoring a season-high 20 points with six rebounds in a 93–84 loss to St. John’s on February 16. He finished his freshman year averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.
As a junior in 2022, Jones played a central role in Xavier’s run to the NIT championship, earning NIT Most Valuable Player honors. His all-around production helped the Musketeers capture the title and cemented his status as a future professional prospect. Following the 2022–23 college season, in which he was selected to the Second-team All-Big East, Jones declared for the 2023 NBA draft.
NBA Breakthrough (2023–2025)
Jones was selected 34th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2023 NBA draft. His draft rights were quickly traded to the Boston Celtics and then to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the draft rights to Jordan Walsh and a 2024 second-round pick. He spent his rookie and sophomore seasons splitting time between the Sacramento Kings and their G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. As a rookie in 2023–24, he appeared in 30 games for Sacramento, averaging 2.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
In his second NBA season, Jones played 39 contests for the Kings, averaging 1.1 points, 1.0 rebound, and 0.3 assists per game, while continuing to log developmental minutes with Stockton. On February 6, 2025, he was traded to the Washington Wizards in a multi-team deal and found a more meaningful role, posting averages of 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 15 appearances.
Detroit Pistons Era (2025)
Jones’ time in Washington was brief. On June 28, 2025, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Dillon Jones and a 2029 second-round pick, and he was waived by the Thunder the same day. Less than a month later, on July 29, 2025, he signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons, linking him to the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League.
He made one appearance for the Pistons, recording two points and four rebounds in a 95–116 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 27. On November 10, 2025, Jones was waived by Detroit following the signing of Wendell Moore Jr. The stint, while short, gave him NBA experience with a third franchise and added to his G League résumé.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jones profiles as a versatile wing who can score from the perimeter, attack closeouts off the dribble, and rebound effectively for his position. He combines a smooth shooting stroke with the physicality to defend multiple spots, and he has shown the ability to function as a secondary playmaker in transition and half-court sets. His willingness to play through mistakes and accept a developmental role has allowed him to carve out a career as a swingman in both the NBA and the G League.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Jones’ career is his game-winning three-pointer against Providence as a freshman at Xavier, a play that announced his arrival on the national stage. His NIT championship and NIT Most Valuable Player honors in 2022 stand as the centerpiece of his college résumé, while his selection as the 34th pick in the 2023 NBA draft officially launched his professional journey.
Colby Jones Career Highlights
Colby Jones has compiled a varied résumé across the Big East, the NIT, the NBA, and the NBA G League, and his career is best understood through the highlights that shaped each stage of his development. His college peak came in 2022, when he helped Xavier capture the NIT title and earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.
Xavier Musketeers Highlights
Jones was a Big East All-Freshman Team selection in 2021 after averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game during his first season at Xavier. He was later named Second-team All-Big East in 2023 and was the central figure on the 2022 NIT championship squad, winning NIT Most Valuable Player in the process.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his individual awards, Jones helped Mountain Brook High School secure a third consecutive Class 7A state title in Alabama and was named Alabama Class 7A Player of the Year as a senior. At the professional level, he has logged NBA appearances with the Sacramento Kings, the Washington Wizards, and the Detroit Pistons, while sharpening his game with the Stockton Kings and the Motor City Cruise in the G League.
Colby Jones Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Colby Jones comes from a family with a strong basketball pedigree. His father, Chad Jones, played college basketball at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, giving Colby a direct connection to the game and an understanding of the path that lay ahead. The senior Jones’s experience at the college level provided a built-in mentor who could advise on training, competition, and the realities of organized basketball.
Personal Life
Jones’ older brother, C. J., played college basketball for Arkansas and Middle Tennessee before going on to play professionally. The two brothers have used their shared background to push each other on and off the court, with C. J.’s journey through the college and pro ranks offering a roadmap for Colby’s own career. Publicly available information about Jones’ personal relationships, marital status, or children is not confirmed in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year was a period of significant movement for Colby Jones. He opened the year with the Sacramento Kings organization and the Stockton Kings, then was part of a multi-team trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards on February 6, 2025, where he enjoyed his most productive NBA stretch, averaging 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 15 appearances.
After his release from the Washington Wizards organization and a brief stop with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jones signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on July 29, 2025. He suited up once for Detroit, posting two points and four rebounds in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, before being waived on November 10, 2025, following the signing of Wendell Moore Jr.
Looking ahead, Jones is expected to continue pursuing opportunities at the NBA level while remaining a candidate for G League assignments. His combination of perimeter scoring, rebounding, and positional versatility makes him a fit for teams in search of wing depth, and his 2025 production with the Wizards should serve as a useful reference point as he works toward a more permanent NBA role.