Tre Jones’ Instagram post is what you think. Another season at Duke is likely
While three of his Duke freshmen teammates prepare for the NBA Draft, Tre Jones eyes another season with the Blue Devils.
While no final decision has been made, Jones is strongly considering staying in college for his sophomore season with the Blue Devils.
Jones made social media waves late Saturday night with an Instagram post hinting a second season at Duke. The team’s three other freshmen starters, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, are projected as top 10 picks in this summer’s NBA Draft so their decisions to leave are all but official.
A 6-2 point guard from Apple Valley, Minn., Jones has all but decided the opposite, allowing him to play another season for Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski before possibly entering the NBA Draft in 2020.
Jones averaged 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season for the Blue Devils (32-6). Duke won the ACC championship but lost 68-67 to Michigan State a win short of the Final Four last Sunday.
Staying another season at Duke would give Jones a chance to show his all-around game as a scorer, passer and defender next season.
The Blue Devils don’t have a true point guard like Jones in their incoming recruiting class, which includes 6-2 shooting guard Boogie Ellis and 6-5 small forward Wendell Moore along with 6-10 center Vernon Carey.
Duke returns a pair of senior forwards -- Javin DeLaurier and Marques Bolden -- who split time filling the fifth slot in the starting lineup with the four freshmen this season. Senior Jack White, a 6-7 forward, was a reserve last season. Reserve guards Alex O’Connell and Jordan Goldwire, who’ll both be juniors, also return.
Fayetteville’s Joey Baker, a 6-7 small forward who played 18 minutes over four games as a freshman last season, will get a chance for a larger role as a sophomore.
Having Jones back, though, would give Duke one of the nation’s top defenders as well as a player capable of scoring more than he did as a freshman.
This story was originally published April 7, 2019 at 11:03 AM.