No. 8 Alabama Basketball's Herbert Jones Named Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist

Jones one of 10 named for the award that is given to the men’s college player of the year

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama forward Herbert Jones has been named as a 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist, the Atlanta Tip Off Club announced on Thursday.

Jones was also named to the Naismith Defensive Player Semifinalist list in late February and is one of just two players in the nation named to both the Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year lists (Evan Mobley, USC).

He’s so tough,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said earlier this season. “And literally, he will do whatever. When he broke the wrist, his personal numbers are gonna take a dive last year. He can’t do anything. He can’t pass, dribble or shoot. His wrist is broke. He’s in a cast. He’s all about winning. If it’s gonna help the team win, ‘Put me in there.’ When I just put him in on defensive possessions at Auburn, ‘Just put me in whatever you need me to do, coach.’ That’s just who he is.

“That kind of leadership, that kind of play, that kind of attitude rubs off on teammates. It’s hard for somebody else to sit a practice out when he’s gonna play like that. If you’re one of those young guys watching how to be a professional and how to play at a high level, and you see that every day, it’s gonna be hard to try to get a little bruise on your knee and sit practice out."

Herbert Jones

• Having the best offensive season of his four-year career
• Across the Crimson Tide’s 26 games on the season, Jones is averaging 11.0 points per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor
• Leads the squad in assists (3.1 apg), three-point shooting at 45.5 percent (20-of-44) and offensive rebounds per game (2.0), while also shooting a single-season career-best 74.0 percent from the charity stripe (71-of-96)
• Totaled 15 games in double figures, which ranks third on the team
• Leads UA with six games of five or more assists this season, while leading the team in 13 games in rebounding, assists 11 times, steals in 10 contests and blocks on 10 occasions which are all team-best numbers

Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalists

Herbert Jones - Alabama

Luka Garza - Iowa 

Hunter Dickinson - Michigan 

Jared Butler - Baylor

Cade Cunningham - Oklahoma State 

Drew Timme - Gonzaga 

Corey Kispert - Gonzaga

Quentin Grimes - Houston

Evan Mobley - USC

Ayo Dosunmu - Illinois