Pistons forward Isaac Jones credits junior college coach for unexpected NBA rise
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Isaac Jones was ready to leave basketball behind after finishing high school in Seattle in 2018, but a late growth spurt and one phone call put him on a path to the NBA. The 6’9″ forward, now on a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons, told the Detroit Free Press he spent a year working on a loading dock before a former teammate connected him with Wenatchee Valley College, where a roster spot was available for a player with size.
“It was crazy, really humbling,” Jones said of his time operating a forklift on the 9-to-5 shift. “I always joke that I’m the only NBA player who’s forklift-certified.”
After a season in junior college, Jones moved to Idaho and then Washington State, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2024. He signed a two-way deal with the Sacramento Kings that summer, and Detroit claimed him off waivers in November 2025. He landed on the All-G League First Team last season and continued his strong play in Las Vegas, capping a rise he credits to Wenatchee Valley coach Jeremy Harden.
“Back in JUCO he told me I could be an NBA player,” Jones recalled. “I believed him, got more confident, and thought I was going to the league.”
Summer League wrap-up
Detroit concluded its five-game Summer League schedule Friday, with 2026 first-round pick Ebuka Okorie becoming the club’s first selection since 2023 to appear in every contest. The former Stanford point guard scored 29 points with four rebounds and three assists in the finale against Miami.
Second-year guard Chaz Lanier, who saw action in 34 games as a rookie last season, shot 56.4% from three-point range over his last four outings in Las Vegas, reinforcing his case as one of Detroit’s top perimeter threats.
Brice Williams, a 6’7″ guard who spent last season with the Motor City Cruise, is pushing for an NBA roster spot after logging 24 points Wednesday versus Phoenix. “I’m just playing confident, not thinking too much,” Williams said. “Short memory—playing for the next play.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
