Phill Jones emerged from the small town of Reefton to become one of New Zealand’s best ever players. His shooting style was a thing of beauty, and at the height of his powers it was world-class. At 17, Phill Jones moved north to Nelson College and soon after, the Nelson Giants. He swiftly nestled under the wing of Nenad Vučinić and developed a killer instinct for putting the ball through the hoop. He helped deliver two championships for the Giants in the 2000’s.
In 1995 Jones was called up to the Tall Blacks for the first time. After back-to-back-to-back most outstanding guard awards, and another title with the Giants, he became a Tall Blacks starter in 1998. That memorable 2001 series against Australia saw the Tall Blacks qualify for the World Champs in 2002, with Jones top scoring in that series.
The 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis Phil led the NZ scoring averaging 18.2 points per game – 9th best at the championship. Two years later at the Athens Olympics he averaged 21 per game; his 33-point barrage against China propelling the Tall Blacks into the quarter final at those World Champs and finishing in the top 10 in scoring.
Phill Jones was also a foundation Breaker who helped set the club up for the success and also had overseas stints in Finland, Italy, Australia and Greece. He won NBL MVP in 2009, perhaps the best of his 23 seasons with the Giants. In total he played over 400 games for the Giants and over 200 for the Tall Blacks. Phil now coaches the boys’ team at Waimea College in Nelson, where his three kids go to school and wife Kat coaches the girls’ side.
