Tre Jones drafted 41st overall by San Antonio Spurs in NBA Draft

After a long journey since arriving on campus in the fall of 2018, Duke's do-it-all point guard is finally in the NBA. 

Tre Jones was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 41st pick in the NBA Draft Wednesday night. The Apple Valley, Minn., native now becomes the second Blue Devil to be taken on the night following Vernon Carey Jr., who was drafted 32nd.

The selection is slightly lower than the late-first round projection many had for Jones. He's just the fifth ACC Player of the Year to not be picked in the first round.

Jones came to Durham as part of an extremely talented freshman class that included Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish, all of whom got drafted in the top-10 last year. It was hard for Jones to shine on that crowded team, but he eventually found his role as a true point guard who could play lockdown defense and dish the ball at an elite level. 

After announcing he was staying for his sophomore season, Jones assumed the role of captain and took on larger offensive responsibilities. His shooting was a big question mark during his freshman year, but throughout that sophomore campaign Jones proved that he had developed a knockdown mid-range jumper as well as consistency from 3-point range. He finished the season averaging 16.2 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.

While it's unclear how much of his offensive skill set will translate to the NBA, especially right away, one of Jones' early strengths will certainly be his defense. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 1.8 steals per game across his two years at Duke and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year this past season.

Possibly the highlight of Jones' college career came nine months ago against North Carolina. In one of the rivalry's great games, Jones led the Blue Devils back from multiple deficits to beat the rival Tar Heels 98-96 in overtime. He finished with 28 points and six assists, including his famed buzzer-beater to send the contest to the extra period.