Thunder 4 More: OKC's Dillon Jones' Long Journey is Just Getting Started

The Oklahoma City Thunder's second selection in the 2024 draft should bring a unique skillset to the roster.

Dillon Jones stands with Thunder general manager Sam Presti during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2024 Draft brought a unique group of rookies to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Its first selection, Serbian guard Nikola Topic, will miss the entire regular season from a partially torn ACL. Its second-round pick, Ajay Mitchell, averaged just over 25 points per game for UC Santa Barbara last year.

In between those two selections was Dillon Jones, the lone first-round pick suiting up for the Thunder this season.

The Webster State product had a chance to introduce himself alongside his fellow rookie teammates in their introductory press conference, and already, Oklahoma City got a glimpse of what it took for him to get to this point off a single question.

"Dillon, I wonder if you could describe your journey to this point," a reporter asked.

Jones certainly had a journey in his life. A long road of overcoming obstacles. He grew up in a single-parent household living through various situations, and even though he didn't know it growing up, his family was poor. But through basketball and enjoying time with each other, that fact was never on his mind.

"What the game brought us was more powerful than anything that money could give us," Jones said, speaking at his introductory press conference, "so that was like the road."

Basketball has always been an integral part of Jones' life. It's the game that he not only excelled at but the one that helped the outside struggles go away. Now, he'll have the opportunity to do it at a professional level with the Thunder.

The 22-year-old finished up with college tenure with a Big Sky Conference-leading 20.8 points per game, along with 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and two steals. He's an interesting player in that at 6-foot-6, he uses his strength and tenacity to play like a big wing on the glass, but he can also more than hold his own against opposing guards. He's an above-average playmaker and scores the ball efficiently at the rim, but he hasn't quite found a 3-point shot yet.

Oklahoma City loves to find players with unique skillsets, and that's exactly what it did when it drafted Jones. Although he played as a forward at Weber State, he has a high possibility of being used as a shooting guard. There's not a set position he's set to play as of now, that'll be figured out as the season goes on.

"Watching them, they play an unorthodox style in a lot of ways. For me as a player that's an unorthodox player, I guess that fits like a hand in a glove," Jones explained, "whatever they need me to do, I'll be ready to do it."

Since the Thunder is in a championship-contending stage, it will take some time for Jones to truly get a significant role in the rotation. He's not a finished product, and the shooting struggles he does carry will work against him if he can't quickly adjust. However, both he and Oklahoma City have plenty of time to let things develop naturally.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti drafted Jones — along with Topic and Mitchell, too — not only because of the talent he perceived them to hold but also because of each individual's place within the system that's currently being built. Not every player is going to pan out to be a star, but if you surround the team with players who will make an impact and play to their strengths, results will show.

"I think the way to look at all of the additions to the team are not just to look at them in singularity and as individuals because that's not how a team works," Presti said.

That being said, the physical traits and strengths that Jones showed in college could easily translate well to Oklahoma City. It may take some time for him to finally reach comfortability in the rotation, but once he does, there's no reason to doubt that he can be a key piece for it down the road.

In 2023, Jones competed in the draft combine. His dream of playing in the NBA seemed to finally be within reaching distance. All seemed to be heading to the final direction until he and his brother both reached a conclusion.

Yes, Jones could enter the draft, end up on a team and say that he did it. However, he wasn't ready to actually have a chance at being great. One more year at college was the best decision for his future, even if it had to put his lifelong dreams on pause. It wasn't about making it to the league, it was about staying.

So, that's what the Columbia, S.C. native did. A year later, there's no hesitation on if that was a good decision or not.

"I think it worked out how it was supposed to," Jones said.

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