Dwight Jones (basketball)

Dwight Elmo Jones (February 27, 1952 – July 25, 2016) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'10" forward/center, he was the leading scorer and rebounder on the 1972 Olympic team that lost the controversial gold medal game to the Soviet Union. Jones was ejected from the gold medal game after an altercation with a Soviet player. Later it was revealed that the Soviets intentionally provoked him as they saw him as the leader of the U.S. team and wanted to get him out.[1][2]

Dwight Jones
Jones with the Houston Cougars in the 1971–72 season
Personal information
Born(1952-02-27)February 27, 1952
Houston, Texas, U.S.
DiedJuly 25, 2016(2016-07-25) (aged 64)
The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolWheatley (Houston, Texas)
CollegeHouston (1970–1973)
NBA draft1973: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Playing career1973–1984
PositionPower forward / center
Number13
Career history
1973–1976Atlanta Hawks
1976–1979Houston Rockets
1979–1983Chicago Bulls
1983Los Angeles Lakers
1983–1984Bic Trieste
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points6,230 (8.1 ppg)
Rebounds4,513 (5.9 rpg)
Assists911 (1.2 apg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1972 Munich Team

Jones attended E.O. Smith Education Center and Wheatley High School.[3]

After playing college basketball at the University of Houston from 1970–73, Jones was selected as the 9th overall pick in 1973 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Jones played for ten seasons in the NBA from 1973 to 1983 with four teams: Atlanta, the Houston Rockets, the Chicago Bulls, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6 ft 10 in power forward/center averaged 8.1 points in 766 career regular season games.

His son, Dwight Jones II, played at Houston Baptist University. A 6'3" guard, Jones II was named the Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2005–06 and 2006–07 while also being named an NAIA All-America both seasons.[4]

Jones died on July 25, 2016.[5]

References
  1. Gallagher, Taps (2012-08-01). "3 Seconds From Gold: 'Stolen Glory' Recalls Epic 1972 Olympic Basketball Final". HuffPost. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  2. "50 stunning Olympic moments: No1 – USA v USSR, basketball final, 1972 | Sean Ingle". the Guardian. 2011-11-16. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  3. "Distinguished HISD Alumni Archived May 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine," Houston Independent School District
  4. JONES II TAKEN IN NBA DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE DRAFT
  5. "Houston men's basketball great Dwight Jones passes away; Houston native was 64 years old". yourhoustonnews.com. July 25, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
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