Solomon Jones Completes Successful NBA Rookie Campaign
April 24, 2007 | Men's Basketball
TAMPA, Fla. (April 24, 2007) ? Former University of South Florida men's basketball player Solomon Jones recently completed his rookie campaign in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
“I was really happy with my first year and I can't see it having gone much better,” Jones said. “I learned a lot and was tested throughout the year.”
Jones appeared in 58 games for the Hawks, earning eight starting assignments. He averaged 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 78.7 percent from the charity stripe in 11.5 minutes per outing. He was the only rookie in the league to block five-or-more shots in more than one game, a feat he accomplished three times.
“The biggest adjustment was the travel,” Jones said. “Moving from city to city every night and going home just to leave again was difficult to get used to early in the season.”
Jones posted a season-best 14 points on two occasions and grabbed a personal-high 10 rebounds at Sacramento in mid-December. He concluded the year ranked 13th in the NBA in blocks per 48 minutes (3.03). He has already started to focus on next season, looking to improve his numbers across the board.
“I need to put some weight on and improve my footwork and speed,” Jones said. “If I can defend multiple positions and get the rhythm back in my offensive game, I will be able to make a bigger contribution.”
The Mount Dora, Fla., native was a two-year letterwinner for the Bulls and earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention accolades in 2005-06. The Hawks drafted Jones 33rd overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, making him the highest selection in USF history.
Jones, along with Chucky Atkins of the Memphis Grizzlies, are the only two USF alums to be currently featured on an NBA roster.
