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Xavier
Colby Jones

Xavier

Junior
HT/WT/WS6' 5", 203lbs
Age21

PTS

15
  

AST

4.4
  

REB

5.7
  

FG%

50.9
 

Big Board Rankings


Scouting Sources


Jonathan Givony

Community Scouting Reports (45)


Leif Thulin
u/pistoleif

#41

RANK


Colby Jones: 6’5.5” 199 lbs 6’8” wingspan 21.1 years old Junior, Xavier 15 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.3 spg, 50.9% fg%, 37.8% 3%, 65.3% ft%

Overview: Colby Jones is good at just about everything at the college level but a master of none. Jones is a crafty, versatile scorer with impressive feel for the game and vision who improved his shot to make him a more dangerous player. Jones is not a tremendous athlete but uses what he does have well to compete on both ends. My worry for Jones is that he is not good enough at shooting off ball to be a supporting cast wing player nor is he good enough on ball to run an offense and defensively he will not be an ace which is the way onto the floor if not super great at one of the prior two things at Jones’ size.

Strengths: Very good touch in the intermediate game. Floaters and hooks. Intelligent player who reads the game well. Hardly ever gets sped up. Good passer. Improving shooter. Ambidextrous passer. Performed well in the clutch all year.

Weaknesses: Lacks burst. Mediocre defender. Does not have much of an off the bounce jumper. (does have floater). Sub 70% free throw shooter in college. Low release point.



Analysis done by @pistoleif. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Brett Bischel
u/brettbischel

#20

RANK


-----Age:21.1 / Jr
Minutes:34.0
Pts:15.0 ↑
Reb:5.7 ↑
Ast:4.4 ↑
Blk:0.6
Stl:1.3
TO:2.3
PF:2.1
PER:19.8
ORat:114.7
DRat:103.5
3pt:37.8%
2pt:56.3%
FT:65.3%
  • Height w/o shoes: 6'4.5"

  • Wingspan: 6'8"

  • Max Vertical: 35.0"

  • Xavier went 27-10 in 2022-23, and lost in the 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament (#3 seed).

  • * Worked out for the Portland Trail Blazers



Analysis done by @brettbischel. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Generic Person
u/amfueg0367

#22

RANK


Colby Jones is a super toolsy versatile wing that I love for virtually any team in the league. He doesn’t have many weaknesses and is capable, basically in every kind of way. Jones is athletic, a smart defender, an improving shooter, a really impressive passer, and has good size. There aren’t really any holes in his game. His main weakness in the past was his shot but he's improved his percentage every year to the point where it’s respectable. Last year the main worry with him was his shooting but the split has gone up considerably to 38%. The three-pointer looks shaky still and he doesn’t seem the most comfortable with it but the fact that the number has gone up is a good sign. If he could hit it on a more consistent game-to-game basis I feel like many would fall in love with him in the kind of way I have. He could easily go to an NBA team and work with a shooting coach to get himself right in that aspect. He’s a real mid-range maestro and has looked calm and collected when trying to get buckets there. He is a pretty good athlete but he isn’t a big-time interior scorer. He can make the easy cuts but doesn’t have the physical capability to simply overpower people. Jones has to use a nice bag of floaters, layups, and workarounds that have been heavily refined with a silky smooth touch. What makes Colby valuable offensively though is his playmaking ability at 6’6”. He’s playing a point forward right now for Xavier as the main ball handler and distributor which is evident in his five assists per game. There's always a perpetual sense of patience when he’s working as a creator. He avoids all the sloppy turnovers that most players make and resists the temptation of others trying to spread up his game. That mix of size and passing capability is a really rare skill and I’m surprised this isn’t reflected in his draft stock among rankings in the media. He loves to move the ball around and is quick to relocate himself in order to benefit the offense. He makes really good reads when it comes to finding the open man. In the league, he’s mostly going to be used as a generic combo guard/wing but I would really like a team to give him a chance as a big point guard every once in a while. I don’t think giving him a larger role would be a hindrance as he’s never been a super ball-dominant player and isn’t anything close to a heliocentric player, even with a sort of weaker roster like Xavier. He’s more of a half-court player offensively which might make it so his scoring doesn't translate one-to-one exactly day one, but that's okay. He does work well in pick and rolls in both positions which helps to increase his number of utilizations on the court. Jones isn’t an amazing one-on-one defender but he certainly isn’t bad, the consistency in his work ethic is ever present on that end of the ball. Jones isn’t afraid to get hit and he likes to embrace the contact and pain as a sacrifice for the good of his team. He works really well around schemes to stick to his man-like glue. Colby constantly fights hard for rebounds and is aware of what's going on around him. The off-ball movement comes naturally for him as he's always trying to anticipate what's next. Xavier has made it so he’s easy to plug into basically any playbook. I think he could be a big riser if he has a good run in march madness and measures well at the draft combine. We have seen players like Dalen Terry and Jalen Williams rise later in the season to become top 20 picks last year while possessing similar skill sets at that size. Many see his ceiling as being low which may be true but that high floor as an immediate starter seems like something easy to bet on. I like the upside with his shooting due to his splits getting better and better with each passing year and as he improves his range, so does his draft stock improve due to that 3&D potential. Players of that archetype have been super valuable as of late and I expect that to be reflected in the draft.



Analysis done by @amfueg0367. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Ben Mackoff
u/benmackoff2

#23

RANK


Colby Jones- Xavier (SG) Age: 21.1yrs 6’6 205 (Donte Divincenzo)

Jones had a true breakout junior season at Xavier increasing both his points and assists and efficiency from the field as well. Jones is a do it all type player that can guard multiple positions, do some dirty work but also make plays for others and knock down a shot when needed. His three point shot was much improved this year and is going to be a key factor in his contribution in the league but even if his three ball does not come around he does more than enough things at a good level to be a key contributor.

(36gs 34.0mpg)(15.0ppg, 5.7rb, 4.4ast, 50.9fg%, 37.8 3pt% 3.3 3pa)



Analysis done by @benmackoff2. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
SimplyCJ18
u/SimplyCJ18

#37

RANK


More potential Josh Hart/Malcolm Brogdon. Terrific strength for position. Good spot-up shooter with high IQ on both ends of the floor. Uses strength to get good positioning on rebounds. Secondary playmaker potential: high AST/TO and AST/USG ratio. On the older side of prospects, will be 21 on draft day, but could be sought after by contenders later in the first round who need immediate contributors.



Analysis done by @SimplyCJ18. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Ian Monje
u/iblakem10

#22

RANK


Colby Jones was also one of the more pleasant surprises this past college season. He took leaps in a number of areas, and we can start with his finishing abilities. He has a preference of finishing with his right hand, and while I did not see much tape of finishing with his left, he was very efficient as a finisher, shooting 63% at the rim. He has an amazing floater that he utilizes a lot in the paint and he has great footwork to get his defenders off balance, creating easier looks. I do not think he has great athleticism, and I do not think that will bode well when it comes to a player who is primarily a slasher. Even though that will be an issue, I think that his touch around the basket is unlike a lot of guards in this draft and should still be effective. I do not imagine him as a three-level scorer; he does not operate in the mid-range much, and it does not look like he is very comfortable with off-the-dribble shooting. He has a decent looking jumper with decent mechanics; his jumper looks like it comes off his hands softly, and it has a good release point. He shoot 38% from three on low volume (three attempts per game), but I think he could be one to hit the occasional spot-up three. I think he has a good, patient handle, and he has great playmaking skills. Yes, he only averaged 4.4 assists this past year, but his driving ability made defenses crash the paint often, and his ability to find cutters to the basket, recognizing shooters in the corner, and his entry passes are all great, and is the most underrated part of his game. I do think that his lack of athleticism is worrying to a degree on the defensive end, too. I think that his foot speed all-around will be taken advantage of by opposing offenses. Those offense will underestimate his strength and ability to allow his strength to keep the ball handler in front of him. I think that he could survive a little bit in the post with that strength, depending on the player. He was great at contesting shots and being able to night crawl through pick and rolls and make the smart, calculated reaches that led to plenty of turnovers. There is a lot of promise from what I had seen from Colby Jones. From what I've seen, I don't envision him being a top scoring option right now, but I think he has skills and fundamentals that will make him a consistent option in the rotation.

  • Player Comparison: Shades of Derrick White and E'Twaun Moore

  • Projected Draft Position: Picks 17-28

  • Best Fits: Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers



Analysis done by @iblakem10. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
lockdown scout
u/lockdown_scout

#25

RANK


Role: Playmaking Two-Way Role Playing Guard

  • solid in all facets of the game and should seamlessly fit in with any team

  • good passer out of the pick and roll and drives

  • plays sound defense moving his feet well with good contests

  • sufficient 3pt shooter

  • not exceptional at any one area of the game

Player Comparison: (Shades of) Derrick White



Analysis done by @lockdown_scout. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Aleix Villar Pardo
u/JAZZNATION

#27

RANK


Projected draft range:

Projected NBA rookie role:

Strengths:

Weakness:

Shades of/comp:

Best outcome:

mid outcome:

worst outcome:



Analysis done by @JAZZNATION. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
nflinabnit
u/nflinabnit

#21

RANK


comparison: caris levert SG/PG 6'5" 195 Lbs

positives

  • 50/37% fg/3pt

  • 10/14 pts/reb vs pittsburgh in ncaa tournament

  • solid catch and shooter

  • smooth handle coming downhill

  • 58% from 2's

  • upside defensively

  • tough shot making ability

negatives

  • 65% ft shooter

  • worry about ability to create space

  • not the most athletic

  • not an amazing ball handler but has shown signs

expectations

  • underrated, will provide great value for spot he's picked at

  • could start in a few years on a playoff team

  • will fill a guard role somewhere

  • in my opinion will be viewed as a steal of this draft



Analysis done by @nflinabnit. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Alex Erickson
u/alexrerickson

#17

RANK


High IQ Guard who tends to make the right, winning play Smooth shot that always forces a threat on D Does a bit of everything - can pass, drive, handle, pass, and play defense Insane defense mechanics, shifts feet laterally and gets his hand up with precision Strong build Can dribble, pass, and shoot - a reliable versatile piece Fits so well into any NBA Lineup An underrated rebounder and box-out guy Doesn't care about the statline, just performs the way he needs to Free Throw Percentage was concerning this year Junior - elder prospect Limited potential with such already polished game In the NBA, Colby can have all or none of the roles, depends if teams value extreme quality or quantity Talented passer, makes defenses look silly Boring, yet extremely effective game Can telegraph ideas a bit Doesn’t create a lot of space of the dribble, minimal athletic separation Underrated playmaker, good court awareness Tends to stand off-ball Pure, clean makes Aware open-court playmaker Values the little things, active outside of the stat sheet Extremely crafty Every play (seamlessly) is positive for the team when Colby has the ball in his hands Can lack aggressiveness at times, be weakened by opponent Sometimes tries to do things his frame doesn’t allow Uses change-of-pace, head fakes as a key part of his game Stable, strong, stiff passes Lacks touch in the lane Disappointingly short wingspan, hurts him on both sides of the ball Lacks ball security against those more aggressive defenders Solid cutter, willing to move off-ball Don’t love his defensive versatility, too small for bigs, wide and laterally slow for guards Inconsistent performance throughout the game, sometimes in it, sometimes not Big lack of athleticism/burst, hurts ability to fully drive the lane Connective passer Uses body as he drives, separates from defense Concerningly slow for a guard Great processor, reads defense so methodically, knack for finding rollers and cutters in the half-court Lacks consistent energy throughout the game



Analysis done by @alexrerickson. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.