Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Murray State Sports Information
Racer Great Popeye Jones To Tennessee HOF
10/2/2013 11:09:00 AM | Men's Basketball
 Murray State great Ronald "Popeye" Jones, who played basketball for the Racers from 1989-92, is part of the 2014 class of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Jones is on a list of seven inductees that will be enshrined Saturday, May 17, 2014, at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville.
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Coming out of Dresden, Tenn., Popeye Jones was an iconic player and is still one of the most recognizable student-athletes to ever come out of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Jones was part of four OVC regular season championship teams at MSU and three that played in the NCAA Tournament. Ranking first at MSU in career rebounds with 1,374, Jones led the nation in the 1991-92 season at 14.4 per game. The season prior, he ranked second in the nation with 14.2 per game (1990-91), second behind only LSU's Shaquille O'Neal at 14.7. Jones was an unstoppable scorer and ranks fourth at MSU in career scoring with 2,057 points. He is the only player in MSU history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds.
Jones finished his career as a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection and was named OVC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Jones was also named the OVC Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 92.
Popeye's jersey No. 54 is one of nine retired at MSU and hangs in the rafters of the CFSB Center. Â
Jones was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round as the 41st overall pick in the 1992 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. But he never played for the Rockets and instead started his professional career in Milan, Italy and played one season (1992-93). In 1993-1994, Popeye began what would be an 11- year career in the NBA. He played with the Dallas Mavericks (1993-96) and Toronto Raptors (1996-1998). He played with the Boston Celtics (1998-99) and Denver Nuggets (1999-00). He finished his career with the Washington Wizards (2000-02) before returning to Dallas (2002-03) and finishing with the Golden State Warriors (2003-04).
Popeye played in 535 games (304 starts) in the NBA and scored 3,726 points (6.9ppg) and pulled down 3,981 rebounds (7.4 rpg). He shot .447 percent from the field and .751 from the free throw line. He had 696 assists and 300 steals. Combining his collegiate career at Murray State and what he accomplished in the NBA, Popeye played in a total of 658 games with 6,441 points and 5,355 rebounds.
Jones has carved out a successful coaching career after his playing days. He worked in the New Jersey Nets organization and is now an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers.
He was inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 2007.
The other six inductees into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame class include: Hope Hines, long time sportscaster in Nashville and baseball player Allie Prescott of Memphis. Carlton Flatt who played football at Austin Peay in the mid-1960's is also among the class as is Paul Naumoff who played football for the Tennessee Vols in the 1960's. Claude Osteen who pitched in Major League Baseball for six teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, joins Bridgett Gordon who played for Pat Summitt at UT as part of the class.
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Coming out of Dresden, Tenn., Popeye Jones was an iconic player and is still one of the most recognizable student-athletes to ever come out of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Jones was part of four OVC regular season championship teams at MSU and three that played in the NCAA Tournament. Ranking first at MSU in career rebounds with 1,374, Jones led the nation in the 1991-92 season at 14.4 per game. The season prior, he ranked second in the nation with 14.2 per game (1990-91), second behind only LSU's Shaquille O'Neal at 14.7. Jones was an unstoppable scorer and ranks fourth at MSU in career scoring with 2,057 points. He is the only player in MSU history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds.
Jones finished his career as a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection and was named OVC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Jones was also named the OVC Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 92.
Popeye's jersey No. 54 is one of nine retired at MSU and hangs in the rafters of the CFSB Center. Â
Jones was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round as the 41st overall pick in the 1992 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. But he never played for the Rockets and instead started his professional career in Milan, Italy and played one season (1992-93). In 1993-1994, Popeye began what would be an 11- year career in the NBA. He played with the Dallas Mavericks (1993-96) and Toronto Raptors (1996-1998). He played with the Boston Celtics (1998-99) and Denver Nuggets (1999-00). He finished his career with the Washington Wizards (2000-02) before returning to Dallas (2002-03) and finishing with the Golden State Warriors (2003-04).
Popeye played in 535 games (304 starts) in the NBA and scored 3,726 points (6.9ppg) and pulled down 3,981 rebounds (7.4 rpg). He shot .447 percent from the field and .751 from the free throw line. He had 696 assists and 300 steals. Combining his collegiate career at Murray State and what he accomplished in the NBA, Popeye played in a total of 658 games with 6,441 points and 5,355 rebounds.
Jones has carved out a successful coaching career after his playing days. He worked in the New Jersey Nets organization and is now an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers.
He was inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 2007.
The other six inductees into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame class include: Hope Hines, long time sportscaster in Nashville and baseball player Allie Prescott of Memphis. Carlton Flatt who played football at Austin Peay in the mid-1960's is also among the class as is Paul Naumoff who played football for the Tennessee Vols in the 1960's. Claude Osteen who pitched in Major League Baseball for six teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, joins Bridgett Gordon who played for Pat Summitt at UT as part of the class.
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