Mark Jones, man. This dude has got to be the most fun color commentator out there — especially when it comes to hoops.
The dude knows ball, obviously. He brings analysis to his color seat in ways that other color commentators don’t and that’s part of the reason he’s so good at what he does.
But he’s also not afraid to bring a little culture to the table. It’ll catch you off guard, but it’s good stuff. Really good stuff.
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That happened on Thursday night as the Celtics pulled away from the 76ers to force a Game 7.
First, he quoted a dope Ja Rule record with Ashanti, saying Jayson Tatum not always there when you call, but he’s always on time. Excellent reference. Definitely 10 out of 10. Five stars.
Very much enjoyed Mark Jones paying tribute to Ja Rule. pic.twitter.com/2b4OM4Qp3Z
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) May 12, 2023
But then… BUT THEN. After the game, the camera showed a shot of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum standing together. Then Jones pulled out this gem.
"smoking that Philadelphia pack tonight" – Mark Jones pic.twitter.com/5ilVCEru4I
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 12, 2023
HE SAID THE CELTICS WERE SMOKING THAT PHILADELPHIA PACK. ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
Everyone was both shocked and simultaneously thrilled that Jones dropped these bars on us. This man is really out here doing it for the culture. He explained his sauce a bit via Twitter, which was a pretty cool thing for him to do.
Thanks for the kind words @ClaireMPLS. I give viewers some insights into the players,personalize them. Talk team strategies,call out some plays in real time,document the game with seasoning.Colorful vocab.Maybe even quote Lil Durk or MoneyBagg Yo. I don’t do vanilla. It’s the NBA https://t.co/arCVDFYx2D
— MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) May 12, 2023
What a champ. We absolutely love to see it.
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