Former Alabama star gets high school jersey, number retired

The Alabama great recently had his high school jersey retired.

One of the greatest players in Alabama Crimson Tide basketball history, star forward Herbert Jones was back in the state earlier this week, as the current NBA and New Orleans Pelicans standout saw his high school jersey and number retired at Hale County High School.

Prior to Alabama, Jones suited up at Hale County during his junior and senior seasons of high school, with that span headlined by a strong 2016-17 season where he averaged 16.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 4 APG to earn Class 4A Player of the Year honors, as well as lead the Wildcats to a state title.

Coming out of Hale County in the 2017 recruiting class, Jones was ranked as the nation’s No. 146 overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as a three-star prospect. Jones also ranked as the nation’s No. 30 overall shooting guard, as well as the No. 4 player in the state of Alabama.

At Alabama, Jones was a four-year player with the Crimson Tide, averaging a combined 7.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.3 SPG while starting in 101-of-129 games. The forward’s best year in Tuscaloosa was his senior season in which he averaged career-high’s across the board to win SEC Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors.

A second round pick in the 2021 NBA draft, Jones has so far spent every year of his professional career with the New Orleans Pelicans where he is a one-time NBA First Team All-Defensive selection.