From water pipes to slam dunks: Isaac Jones' inspiring journey to NBA
From working at a local pipe and supply company to throwing down NBA dunks, rookie Isaac Jones spoke to NBC Sports California about his path to the Kings.
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From water pipes to slam dunks: Isaac Jones' inspiring journey to NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO – Before he was in the NBA with the Kings, Isaac Jones worked at Puget Sound Pipe & Supply in Kent, Wash., where he packaged and sold bathroom and water pipes.
Jones had no college offers after graduating from high school and figured he’d use his free time to help his mom with the bills. So, Monday through Friday – and sometimes Saturdays – his life became routine.
“I had nothing better to do, so I said I might as well go get money to help my mom out,” Jones told NBC Sports California. “Nine to 5 every day, sometimes weekends for extra money.
“You never know where your story is going. I think it made me grow up a little fast. I was paying the bills at that age while a lot of kids were just in college doing whatever.”
Another key component of his weekly routine consisted of spending Friday nights at the YMCA, where he played pick-up basketball. That’s where Jones met Joseph Lowe, a Seattle native who hooped at West Coast Baptist College in Southern California but was looking for a new school to play at.
Lowe was interested in Wenatchee Valley College, a public community college about 150 miles east of Seattle, but joining the Knights basketball program came with a catch. WVC coach Jeramy Harden told Lowe he could join the team as a walk-on if he knew someone 6-foot-7 or taller and brought them with him.
So Lowe called Jones, who stands 6-foot-9.
The two became Knights together, and Jones spent three seasons at Wenatchee Valley College. In his final year at WVC, Jones was named the Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 25.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
Despite all the success he would find over his next two collegiate stops with big-name schools, Jones forever will be grateful for his time at Wenatchee Valley College.
“JuCo really tested how tough you are as a person,” Jones said. “A lot of nights we didn’t have money, no food. We used to split sandwiches on the road. It was tough. I fell in love with the game there. It taught me that I actually did love basketball.
“I always had said I liked basketball growing up, but I didn’t find love for it until I got there.”
Jones then transferred to the University of Idaho, where in one season with the Vandals, he posted averages of 19.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, leading to him being named the Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year and second-team All-Big Sky. He then entered the NCAA transfer portal and returned close to home at Washington State.
He averaged 15.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game with the Cougars and was named first-team All-Pac-12 Conference.
Even after standing out at Washington State, Jones went unselected in the 2024 NBA Draft. He signed a two-way contract with the Kings in July and bounced back and forth from the G League in Stockton to the NBA with Sacramento.
Jones constantly shares posts on social media about him going undrafted or reminders of how his journey began. The disrespect fuels him, but he’s grateful for how things turned out.
“Yeah, I definitely feel like I should have been [drafted],” Jones said, “but there’s a lot of people who say the same. It all worked out in God’s plan.”
Most of that love came from Jones’ coach at WVC, Jeremy Harden, who also coached him at Idaho and Washington State. Harden pushed Jones harder than anyone while instilling a new level of confidence in him that he didn’t always have.
It wasn’t until Harden told Jones he belonged in the NBA that he truly began to believe it.
“That’s where I just bought all in,” Jones said.
Harden now is an assistant coach at Stanford, about 120 miles southwest of Sacramento, and comes to as many Kings games as possible. The two talk every day.
Jones had several big games down in Stockton, including eye-popping plays that had people questioning why this large, athletic man wasn’t in the NBA full-time. In January, he had a hot stretch where he averaged 36 points on 66.2-percent shooting with 8.3 rebounds over three games.
His chemistry with players such as Kings rookie Devin Carter also was on display in the G League and gave Kings fans something to look forward to in the future, with Jones stating he’s excited to showcase that double-threat in the NBA with more reps.
Devin Carter off the glass to Isaac Jones ????pic.twitter.com/Hr6mQMXUjW
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 26, 2025
After averaging 20.9 points on 55.5 percent shooting, with 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks in 32.2 minutes through 11 games with Stockton, Sacramento converted his two-way contract to a standard NBA deal.
Everything – from Puget Sound Pipe & Supply to three different colleges to the G League – finally paid off for Jones.
“It was a lot of fun,” Jones said of his G League tenure. “I learned that a lot of people were really good and don’t have the opportunity. And I was blessed to have my opportunity, so I didn’t want to take it for granted.
“I feel like I grew a lot. My skillset changed up a little bit, and I knew I could compete at this level.”
So did his teammates.
Kings guard Keon Ellis, who had a similar NBA rise last season, was the perfect motivation for Jones. Ellis advised Jones to stay patient and eventually his time would come.
He was right.
“He’s definitely my best friend on the team,” Jones said. “We play games, we do whatever together, go to the mall. But I definitely try to follow in his footsteps, because he did it the right way. So I wanted to do it like him.”
Now Jones has the opportunity to do what he’s long wanted: prove he belongs in the NBA.
Jones said he realized he could have an impact on an NBA team during his first or second year at WVC, again, after Harden injected that belief in him. But he knew he could fit in specifically with the Kings as soon as he arrived in the organization last summer.
During training camp, he realized he was better than he had thought and understood he could compete with the best guys on the team.
“I thought I was, like, a normal athlete,” Jones said. “But then they’re telling me I’m one of the more athletic guys. I had that one put-back against the [San Antonio] Spurs and I was like, ‘Man, maybe they’re right.’
“And I just realized, I think I’m pretty good at using my athleticism, and a lot of people don’t do that.”
Isaac Jones with an insane putback ???????? pic.twitter.com/gnQG8KHuLf
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 2, 2024
Off the hardwood last summer, Jones married his longtime girlfriend, Melia Jones, who has been his rock through an adverse road to the top.
When NBC Sports California asked what Melia’s support means to him, Jones shared a heartfelt response as he tried to find the right words.
“Everything,” Jones said. “As I said, when we were struggling for meals and stuff, she would help me out.”
Jones paused for a moment, fighting back his emotions, before he continued.
“She would take care of me a lot,” he said. “Her grandparents would help, too. She just made my time easier. So I’m glad I can repay and just take care of her for the rest of her life.”
Malia has eased Jones’ transition to professional basketball. So have Kings fans. Even 700 miles away from where he grew up in Washington, Kings fans have helped Jones make Sacramento feel like home.
He described the passionate fanbase as “amazing” and shared that he feels the love wherever he goes in Sacramento, a city he quickly has grown to love.
As far as what’s next for Jones?
“Just keep building,” Jones said. “I’m keeping the mindset that I haven’t done nothing yet. I got more to prove so I’m just going to keep you my head down and act like I don’t got it and keep going.”
