Derrick Jones Jr. is a 6-foot-6 LA Clippers 3-and-D wing and 2020 Slam Dunk Contest champion, an undrafted UNLV product who reached two NBA Finals (2020 Miami, 2024 Dallas) as one of the league's most explosive athletes and versatile perimeter defenders.
Model lines Jr. at 10.1 pts (range 7.4–12.8) vs a 10 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (51%).
Model favors Indiana Pacers (63%), projected 111–114, ~225 total at 96.6 pace.
Derrick Jones Jr. went undrafted — then dunked his way into NBA highlight history.
A one-and-done at UNLV, he signed with Phoenix in 2016 and broke out in Miami as an athletic defender.
He won the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest and reached the bubble Finals with the Heat, then bounced through Portland and Chicago.
A strong 3-and-D season in Dallas took him to the 2024 Finals, and he signed with the Clippers that summer as a starting-caliber wing.
One of the most electric leapers in basketball, Derrick Jones Jr. built an NBA career from an undrafted start into a dunk-contest crown, two Finals runs and a reliable 3-and-D role.
Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. was born February 15, 1997 in Chester, Pennsylvania, and played one season at UNLV before going undrafted in 2016. He signed with Phoenix and split early time with the G League while flashing rare athleticism.
His breakout came in Miami (2017-2020), where he became an athletic defender, won the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest over Aaron Gordon, and reached the 2020 bubble Finals. Stops in Portland and Chicago followed.
In Dallas (2023-24) he had his best team success as a starting 3-and-D wing on a Finals team, then signed with the Clippers in 2024 on a three-year deal, posting career-best scoring.
Sources: Wikipedia, Basketball-Reference, NBA.com.
Jones grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania with one brother and two sisters, and became engaged in early 2023 during the Bulls' trip to Paris. His off-court profile is relatively low-key with no notable controversies.
His nickname 'Airplane Mode' captures the above-the-rim athleticism that made him a dunk-contest champion.
Explosive, energetic and defensively willing, Jones is an above-the-rim highlight machine who grew into a dependable role player.
Athletic Defender
Jones is a versatile wing defender with elite length and hops who guards top perimeter scorers, blocks shots from the weak side, and terrorizes in transition.
3-and-D Unlocked
His three-point shooting climbed to a reliable mid-30s in Dallas and LA, turning him into a true 3-and-D connector rather than just an energy athlete.
Creation Limits
He offers little self-creation or playmaking and is a low-usage finisher, so his value lives in defense, spacing and above-the-rim finishing.
Per game
| Season | GP | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 50 | 27.0 | 10.1 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .499 | .359 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.
Where he sits in history
Hardware
A starting-caliber 3-and-D wing on a multiyear Clippers deal.
Jones signed a three-year, ~$30M deal with the Clippers in 2024 and posted career-best scoring before a 2025-26 MCL sprain interrupted his season. His value is defensive versatility, spacing and finishing on a contender's wing.
Contract
A dunk-contest champion turned reliable 3-and-D wing — elite athleticism married to a real role.
No — he reached the Finals twice (2020 Miami, 2024 Dallas) but lost both. His signature title is the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest.
No — he went undrafted in 2016 out of UNLV and signed with Phoenix.
For his elite leaping and dunking ability, showcased when he won the 2020 dunk contest.
A 3-and-D wing — he guards top perimeter scorers, finishes lobs and transition, and shoots league-average catch-and-shoot threes.