Jones was the first transfer to join Michigan in May’s tenure.
There will be a lot of new faces on the Michigan men’s basketball team in 2024-25, including Rubin Jones, who is transferring to Ann Arbor after four years at North Texas . He’s the first player to commit to Michigan via the transfer portal in Dusty May’s tenure.
In his last season with the Mean Green, he was the school’s second-leading scorer, averaging 12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Last season, the Houston native shot 39.6 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from three, and 77.3 percent from the free throw line. he is also the school’s all-time winningest four-year player .
Highlights don’t tell the full story of a player’s game, but until we see Jones play in Ann Arbor, let’s breakdown what Michigan fans can expect from him.
It sounds like Michigan is getting a leader
In research for this story, I found a lot of quotes about Jones’ leadership ability, which was instilled in him at a young age.
“I played quarterback from flag (football) to probably fifth grade,” Jones said to Ethan Plinsky with the North Texas Daily . “In fifth grade, I’m like, ‘I don’t want to play quarterback anymore,’ but she was telling me, ‘These people are always trying to put you in leadership roles. You’re not choosing it. That’s God. People believe in you to lead wherever you go, you’re a natural-born leader.’”
Jones was a leader for the Mean Green, earning praise from teammates. It’s clear the guys he played with last season have respect for him.
“Rubin’s leadership means the world with so many new players,” Jason Edwards, a sophomore guard told Brett Vito with the Denton Record-Chronicle . “He thinks like coach Hodge and is like a guide to everything. His voice carries a lot of weight. He’s been a part of championship teams and knows how to win. It’s been a blessing for me to have Rubin, who plays the same position, in my corner.”
Scouting Report
Jones has a smooth shooting stroke that goes in with ease, and he’s pretty efficient on catch-and-shoot threes from the wing. He’s also incredibly quick off the dribble, using his speed to blaze past defenders. He’s a crafty player inside the arc, using his pivot foot well to create space in the mid-range, he’s got nifty moves inside the paint, and a long frame for a guard at 6-foot-5. He isn’t afraid to punish smaller guards by putting his back to the basket.
Jones showcased those ball skills before playing at North Texas. He’s got a nice handle and has plenty of ways to beat defenders one-on-one.
Jones navigates ball screens well, which is great considering May often likes to run that as his primary action on offense . He makes sound decisions with the ball and will make teams that switch a big onto him pay with his speed. He also has excellent court vision at the point guard spot, finding cutting teammates when he doesn’t get to the basket himself.
He’s made tremendous progress since his sophomore season, especially when it comes to his three-point shot, which went in much more often this past season (34.5 percent in 2021-22 compared to 41.7 percent in 2023-24). That burst off the dribble he showcased two seasons ago is still very much there.
The Wolverines aren’t getting just a scorer in Jones, they are also getting a quality defender. Jones was named to the 2023 Conference USA All-Defensive team, and this past season, he averaged 1.5 steals per game. Out of more than 2,200 qualifying DI basketball players on KenPom ($), Jones ranked 89th in the country in steal percentage, stealing the ball on 3.5 percent of possessions when he was on the court. He possesses quick hands and can create turnovers with ease before kickstarting a fast break.
Jones didn’t play in an up-tempo offense at North Texas; the Mean Green ranked 360th out of 362 teams in adjusted tempo and average possession length on KenPom last season. Players like Jones were relied upon to pick the defense apart and take their time finding the best shot.
It may be a bit of adjustment playing under May for Jones, as May likes to run things up-tempo. May knows Jones well, with FAU facing North Texas twice this past season and Jones averaging 8.5 points per game in those matchups.
In Jones, the Wolverines get an experienced point guard who can take defenders off the dribble, is efficient from three, moves the ball well and makes an impact on defense. He could very well start at point guard for Michigan and will likely play a ton of minutes in 2024-25.
What are your thoughts on Jones’ game? Let us know in the comments.