In 14 seasons in the NBA, Eddie Jones played for five teams and averaged 14.8 points per game. He was a three-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-Defensive selection (he led the NBA in steals in 2000), and a one-time All-NBA selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That's a solid career, one that many people would certainly be envious of. Unfortunately, however, Jones never won an NBA championship. 11 of the 14 teams for which he played made it to the postseason, with Jones usually being a key piece in the puzzle. Four of those playoff appearances came with the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, the team that drafted him 10th overall in the 1994 NBA draft out of Temple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A pure shooting guard, Jones was the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in his final season with the Owls, averaging 19 points per game while leading Temple to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Lakers were in a bit of trouble at the time, having just missed the postseason for the first time in nearly two decades. Then-general manager Jerry West wanted a pure athlete to bring some spark back to the organization and Jones was it. Over the next five years, whether anyone knew it or not, Jones played a crucial part in bringing LA back to prominence and doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves in Lakers history. <\/p>\n\n\n\nEddie Jones' early days in LA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n