The University of Alabama has the market covered this year on feel-good stories for hopeless sports romantics.
That would be me.
I’m a sucker for an underdog, and while Alabama should never be considered that in any sport, the Crimson Tide has had two remarkable seniors this academic school year who have captured an endearing spirit of overachievement with their efforts and attitudes. I’m talking about football’s DeVonta Smith and basketball’s Herbert Jones, who are two of the best ambassadors of Alabama athletics the school has ever produced.
That’s not an exaggeration, which speaks to a few things that should be apparent at this point in a challenging time for everyone. One, Alabama is making good use of all that television money the SEC has been raking in for its member schools, and, two, character actually still counts for a lot in an age when people might have had a reason to think otherwise.
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Crazy as this is going to sound to everyone who’s not a diehard Alabama fan, but the Crimson Tide could feature basketball’s Naismith Player of the Year a few months after celebrating a Heisman Trophy winner in football. Smith, the hard-working receiver who waited his turn, was an unlikely winner of football’s most outstanding player award, and now Jones is a non-traditional candidate for basketball’s top individual honor.
He’s more blue collar than blue chip, and that’s what makes him so valuable to his team and so beloved by pretty much everyone in college basketball.
On Monday, Alabama basketball officially launched a campaign pushing for Jones to be considered for national player of the year, defensive national player of the year and All-American status. In a news release that included an accompanying video, Alabama listed statistics for Jones’ steals (39), floor dives (15) and deflections (78) rather than points per game or shooting percentages. For the record, Jones is averaging 11.7 points per game, but he’s leading the No.6 team in the country in rebounds (132), assists (69), blocks (25) and steals (39) while often playing out of position (point guard) for the sake of the team.
Hustle is a skill and no one is better at it than Jones. Even when he’s hurt, and Jones is often hurt, he still has the strongest motor on the court.
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Jones has played in all 23 of Alabama’s games this season despite suffering from an injured back. At times, it has been obvious to anyone watching that he could use a rest. His toughness has made him an all-time fan favorite and his leadership is the reason Alabama basketball is in position to possibly be a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With all that being said, here’s the most useful endorsement I can give of the 6-8 small forward who, for me, represents the inspiring strength of small-town, rural Alabama.
The University of Alabama fielded a national championship football team a few months ago that people have called the greatest of all time, but the best defender on campus is a basketball player from Moundville by way of Greensboro. That’s Humble Herbert Jones. He’s an elite defender in the mode of players like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard with an offensive upside that’s beginning to come into focus just in time for Alabama’s highly anticipated postseason.
No.6 Alabama (18-5, 13-1) is at No.20 Arkansas (17-5, 9-4) on Wednesday and a win there would strengthen the Crimson Tide’s case for a No.1 seed and clinch the SEC regular-season championship. No.1 Gonzaga (22-0) and No.2 Baylor (17-0) seem like locks for No.1 seeds at this point in the season, but the other two top slots likely will be in play through the conference tournaments.
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Alabama has put up some record-breaking offensive numbers this season, but the players on the team know that it’s their defense that will be a key to making noise in March. That’s where Jones can impact things the most, and also why Jones will have a chance to play basketball in the NBA. The offense will continue to come with work. The promise of defense is what teams will happily take a chance on.
Enjoy and appreciate Jones while he’s still playing for the love of the game and with his college buddies. Like Smith on the football field, Jones is showcasing the value of persistence and team above self, and it has all happened during the COVID-19 pandemic when nothing since the beginning has been certain.
It’s easy to take shots at the NCAA Industrial Complex and the unhealthy importance many mega-universities put on spectator sports — and I do that when it’s needed — but the developmental value of collegiate sports still outweighs the unintended consequences by many degrees. Here’s the proof.
Smith and Jones arrived as freshmen with potential and solid work ethics, and four years of Alabama transformed them into the best at what they do in the country. Smith and Jones, the perfect names for Alabama’s everyman All-Everythings.
Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group. He’s on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.
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The Link LonkFebruary 23, 2021 at 11:48PM
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Like DeVonta Smith, Alabama’s Herb Jones shows that character counts - al.com
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