It’s a sign of the ever-evolving times in college basketball: players aren’t just switching schools on a yearly basis, but they’re doing so within the same conference.
Last season, David Jones was a key player for DePaul. Now, the high-scoring wing is part of the enemy, filling a major role for St. John’s.
“I was surprised. Obviously, he had a great season last year,” DePaul senior center Nick Ongenda said on Big East media day Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. “Just seeing him leave, it was really a shock to all of us.”
The Blue Demons’ loss is the Red Storm’s gain. Jones is a projected top-three player for the Johnnies, being asked to at least partly fill the void left by two-time All-Big East first-team selection Julian Champagnie. By landing Jones, along with Illinois transfer Andre Curbelo, St. John’s has the makings of an NCAA Tournament team for the first time since Mike Anderson’s arrival in 2019. The Big East coaches picked the Johnnies sixth out of 11 teams in their preseason poll, a nod to the transfer additions.
“He can be amazing,” St. John’s center Joel Soriano, Jones’ close friend and a significant part of his decision to come to Queens, said. “He’s a big key into what we want to do here. His presence is definitely going to make a difference.”
Early on, the 6-foot-6 Jones has seemed at ease in his new home. He performed well in the team’s exhibition tour to the Dominican Republic in August, averaging 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Anderson raved about his work ethic, the smooth southpaw frequently putting in three workouts per day, his determination reminiscent of Champagnie’s.
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“He’s always in the gym. He’s in the gym before practice, he’s in the gym after practice. He shoots a lot,” Soriano said. “Julian used to have a shirt, ‘Shoot until your arm falls off,’ and I feel like he follows that model.”
There will naturally be comparisons to Champagnie, since Jones will be playing the same position and has a similar skill set as a wing capable of scoring inside and out. But Anderson has made a point of telling Jones they don’t need him to replicate Champagnie’s 19.2 scoring average of last year. He doesn’t have to be the guy on offense for the Red Storm.
“I just want him to come in and be ‘Deivi,’ ” Anderson said. “That’s important. The pressure’s not on him.”
With DePaul, picked to finish last by the Big East coaches, Jones clearly would have been the most talented player, after leading scorer Javon Freeman-Liberty made the move to the professional ranks. But Jones wasn’t interested in staying in Chicago. He liked the idea of playing in Anderson’s uptempo system with two pass-first point guards, Curbelo and Posh Alexander, and joining Soriano.
Ongenda and DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield were diplomatic regarding Jones’ move, by far the Big East’s biggest intra-conference transfer since the league allowed such player movement. Both said they wished the best for him. In a coincidental twist, the two teams will face one another when the league season kicks off, with DePaul visiting Queens on Dec. 7. Had Jones stayed put, both teams’ expectations would be different.
“Obviously, it’s a guy we had to prepare for, and now we’re preparing him to go up against other opponents,” Anderson said. “I’m glad he’s on our team.”
