:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55796105/109301640.0.jpg)
Former Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat basketball player, James Jones announced Wednesday that he is retiring after 14 seasons in the NBA. He was then announced as the new vice president of basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns. Jones played six seasons for the heat (2008-2013) and finished his career with three NBA championship rings after appearing in seven straight NBA finals.
Jones was inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame in 2014 and will always be known as one of the great Canes basketball players. Jones played high school basketball at Miami's American High School were he earned 1998-99 State of Florida 6A Player of the Year as a senior, leading the Patriots by scoring 25 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and blocking 6 shots per game. He would later be recruited to Miami by then head coach Leonard Hamilton.
According to the UMHOF website, Jones is still listed in the UM record books as fourth in career blocks (192), seventh in career 3-point field goal percentage (.383), eighth in career free throw percentage (.831), 10th in career steals (137), 11th in career 3-point field goals made (124) and 14th in total points scored (1,356). He twice led Miami in rebounding and blocked shots, including his 2002-03 senior campaign when he also led the team in steals.
Jones would be drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the 2nd round/49th overall of the 2003 NBA Draft and would play for the Pacers, Phoenix Suns and Portland Trailblazers before returning home to Miami signing with the Heat in 2008. Jones helped the Heat win back-to-back NBA Championships. During the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend, James won the Foot Locker 3-point contest by out-shooting the league's finest long-range marksmen, including defending champion Paul Pierce and current Heat teammate Ray Allen.