Jones is the all-time winningest player in North Texas men’s basketball history
The Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team will be filled with new faces in the 2024-25 season, including North Texas guard Rubin Jones, who committed out of the transfer portal last weekend .
In his last season with the Mean Green, Jones was the school’s second-leading scorer, averaging 12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The Houston native shot 39.6 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from three, and 77.3 percent from the free throw line.
Not many writers know Jones better than Brett Vito, who covers North Texas athletics for the Denton Record-Chronicle. Vito watched Jones play all four seasons at North Texas; you can read his work here and follow him @brettvito.
To go along with the scouting report we did on Jones, Vito was nice enough to answer some questions about the veteran guard so Michigan fans can get a better idea of what they will see from him next season.
Kellen Voss: What can Michigan fans expect from Jones on offense?
Brett Vito: Jones is a well-rounded guard who can score and handle the ball. He shared point guard duties with CJ Noland this season. Jones has good size at 6-foot-5 and averaged 12.1 points per game to go along with a team-high 84 assists on the season. He shoots the ball well from the outside and can get into the lane.
KV: In the research I’ve done, it appears Jones is a really good defender, especially on the ball. What did you make of his defense?
BV: Jones was one of the best defensive guards in the American Athletic Conference this season. Ross Hodge, UNT’s coach, often said Jones was the key to the team’s defense and an elite perimeter defender. His talents there will translate at Michigan.
KV: This may be a hard question to answer, but from what you’ve seen of Jones, do you feel he’s capable of starting in the Big Ten, a conference that’s a bit more physical than any other?
BV: UNT played against a host of major conference teams over the course of Jones’ career. He scored 20 points in a game against Mississippi State and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in UNT’s first game against LSU this season. He’ll make the transition without any problem.
KV: A lot of the stuff I’m reading about Jones is he’s a great leader . Did you experience that in your time covering him?
BV: Rubin is a good leader. His teammates like and respect him. Dusty May saw him play against Florida Atlantic and saw what he has to offer in that regard.
KV: What was Jones like with the media? What vibe from him did you get when covering him? What are some quirks to his personality that Michigan fans will enjoy?
BV: Jones has always been a fun guy to cover. His family is always around. His mom makes it to every game.
KV: Did you have anything else you wanted to add?
BV: The telling stat about Rubin is he is the all-time winningest player in UNT history. He was on the roster for 93 wins and played a key role in a lot of them.