Perry Jones III – the uber-talented forward from the Baylor Bears – has been a name thrown around quite often at Liberty Ballers. The once elite prospect – compared to the likes of Kevin Durant and Tracy McGrady – has seen his stock fall significantly after two disappointing years at Baylor.
Was he vastly overrated? Was he not put in a position to succeed? Is he a perpetual underachiever? Does he lack the mental makeup to live up to his potential? The reasons behind Jones' fall are plentiful, but there's a good chance his fall lands him in the Sixers lap, with the 15th overall pick. According to Tom Moore of Philly Burbs, he's decided to visit the Sixers.
Team prez Thorn says more likely mid-first-round picks deciding to visit #Sixers, including Perry Jones III from #Baylor. Philly has No. 15.
— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) June 20, 2012
What this "visit" entails is questionable. Will it include a workout? I'm not sure, but it opens the door for the possibility the Sixers select him in next week's 2012 NBA Draft.
Don't even bother looking at Jones stats at Baylor last year – they're terrible. The only number he has to hang his hat on is his offensive rebounding percentage (10+).
This is what you need to know: He has huge upside – DX tabbed his 'best case' as "Rudy Gay Meets Josh Smith". Also, his physical tools are nothing short of elite. He nearly stands seven feet in shoes (6'11.25"). His vertical is about 39 inches (insane for a seven footer). And his 3/4 sprint was among the fastest in his class.
A franchise who desperately needs talent, like the Sixers, would be hard-pressed to pass on a guy with as much upside as Jones, at a relatively low-risk pick. It's not a no-brainer, but something to mull over.