Weber State alum Dillon Jones wins 2nd NBA title, this time with New York Knicks
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- New York’s Dillon Jones, right, corrals a steal against Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball during an NBA game on April 12, 2026, in New York.
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- Weber State alum Dillon Jones, center bottom, embraces teammate Karl-Anthony Towns after the New York Knicks rallied from 29 points down in the third quarter to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026, in New York.
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- New York Knicks player Dillon Jones dribbles the basketball during an NBA game against Charlotte on April 12, 2026, in New York.
The list of players to win NBA championships in their first two seasons must be short. It includes Sam Cassell (1994-95, Houston Rockets) but does not include Bill Russell or Magic Johnson after each won as rookies but lost as sophomores.
However short the list is, it now includes Dillon Jones.
The all-time Weber State great is a second-time NBA champion after the New York Knicks defeated the Spurs 94-90 on Saturday night in San Antonio, claiming the series 4-1 after two consecutive comeback wins to claim the team’s first championship since 1973.
Jones played 54 regular-season games with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season as a rookie and became the first Big Sky Conference and Weber State alum to play in, and then win, an NBA Finals. He scored 23 points in 10 playoff appearances; of the 12 WSU alums to play in the NBA or ABA, he became the sixth to record points in the playoffs.
The Thunder traded Jones to Washington in the summer; the Wizards waived him in training camp and, by way of the No. 1 pick in the G League draft, Jones took his guaranteed rookie salary to Portland to play for the Rip City Remix.
In 10 starts with the Remix, Jones averaged 16.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game before signing a two-way contract with the New York Knicks in January.
Jones appeared in seven games for the Knicks this season, totaling nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. He also played 18 more G League games for the Westchester Knicks, averaging 15.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
A two-way contract allows NBA teams to roster three additional players above the active 15-man roster. Two-way players, who must have three or fewer years of service time, often play with both their NBA team and its G League affiliate, with a maximum of 50 games active with the NBA team if rostered for the full season.
Unlike in Jones’ rookie season, two-way players are not eligible to be active on NBA playoff rosters. Most franchises have them travel with the team through the playoffs; Jones was seen after New York’s historic Game 4 comeback running onto the court and embracing Karl-Anthony Towns at midcourt.
It’s typical for NBA teams to include all players who appeared during a title season in receiving a championship ring.
In his fourth year at Weber State (2023-24), Jones averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He became the only Division I men’s player in at least 31 years (as far back as Sports Reference has full college stats) to total at least 600 points, 300 rebounds, 160 assists and 60 steals in one season.
He capped his 119-game WSU career as the program’s all-time No. 1 in steals (208), No. 2 in assists (412), No. 3 in rebounds (1,138), No. 5 in points (1,782), and No. 2 in made free throws (497).
