The Red and Black

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports

JONES

If Georgia men's basketball coach Mark Fox has his way, the days of Paul Hewitt signing every top in-state recruit to Georgia Tech are over.

And Fox has made this apparent with his recruitment of Jamail Jones of Greenforest Christian Academy in Decatur, who is ranked No. 101 in Rivals.com's top 150 for the class of 2010.

Jones, an athletic 6-foot-6, 190 pound small forward, had some impressive showings on the AAU circuit this spring, which has resulted in offers and interest from big-time programs across the country - including Florida, Maryland and Kentucky. On the AAU circuit, Jones plays for Hoop Planet and is teammates with top in-state recruits Jelan Kendrick and Donte Williams. Despite Fox being on the job for less than a month, he already has Jones thinking about the Dogs.

"I like Georgia because it's close to home, and they have a good city," Jones said. "I feel like I could get better as a basketball player and as a young man, too, and I'd be a well rounded individual. And coach Fox, he's a real good coach and [assistant] coach [Philip] Pearson, too. They give me a good vibe when I talk to them."

Recently, Fox was at Jones' high school to take in a workout, and he also has been in regular phone contact, Jones said.

"Coach Fox and his staff, they're real good guys," he said. "They're real energetic people, and they keep it straight with me, which is good, too."

While Georgia certainly has made an impression so far, Jones said he is "wide open right now, and I'm just waiting for the situation that I think I fit in best with."

And Jones has a clear image of what that place is like, placing an emphasis on avoiding trouble, on and off the court.

"I'm looking for somewhere where I can fit in, and I feel at home," he said. "I want to go somewhere that the coaching staff will work with me, not only in practice, but after practice, too, so I can get better. Somewhere I know I can stay out of trouble, or where I know trouble won't try to find me."

Jones compares his game to a cross between three perennial NBA All-Stars, which, if accurate, should give the college he chooses quite the player.

"I think I'm a mixture between LeBron James, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett," he said. "I think my strengths are shooting the deep ball and driving to the hole and getting my teammates looks to help them get better."

Whichever school lands Jones, he said it will be receiving a true team player.

"Everything my teams needs me to do, I'll bring it," he said.

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