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It is still early in the college basketball season, with conference play not beginning until late December. However, even in a small sample, certain players have stood out.
Marquette senior guard Kam Jones has done exactly that. Through the opening stretch, Jones has emerged as one of the most impactful players in the Big East. Jones, 22, has powered Marquette to a 5–0 start while posting eye-opening efficiency numbers.
He is averaging 22.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, ranking near the top of the conference in each category.
What truly stands out is his shooting. Jones is connecting on 63.8 percent of his field-goal attempts while shooting 48 percent from three on five attempts per game. For a high-usage guard, that level of efficiency is almost unheard of.
Jones elevated his national profile with a career-defining performance against No. 6 Purdue. He recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in Marquette’s dominant 78–56 victory.
The triple-double was just the third in program history and the first since Dwyane Wade accomplished the feat in the 2003 Elite Eight against Kentucky. Jones controlled the game on both ends while shooting 58 percent from the field.
Through the season’s early stages, Jones has proven he belongs in any Big East Player of the Year conversation. His scoring, playmaking, and efficiency have driven Marquette’s fast start and raised the team’s ceiling.
If Kam Jones maintains this level of performance throughout conference play, he will likely gain recognition soon.
Jones joined Marquette’s historic company with a triple-double, recording 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists against Purdue. The only other former Golden Bear to achieve the feat was Tony Miller on December 31, 1994, posting 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against Wisconsin.
The game held emotional significance for Jones, coming just days after his former high school coach, Terry Tippett, passed away at 79. Tippett coached Jones at Evangelical Christian in Memphis, Tennessee.
“I wanted to really dedicate this game to him and dedicate the rest of the season to him,” Jones said.
Jones entered the season with a larger role, following the departure of 2022-23 Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, both now in the NBA. Known primarily as a scorer, Jones has developed a more complete game, posting career highs in rebounds and assists against Purdue.
Marquette coach Shaka Smart acknowledged the growth.
“He’s always had better ability as a playmaker than people might think, but his role was a little different when we had Tyler and Oso because those guys were such good passers and distributors, and we needed him to think, score, score, score,” Smart said. “We still need him to score, but he also has the ball in his hands more, and we need him to create opportunities for other guys.
Even Purdue coach Matt Painter had high praise for the Marquette guard: “He came here as a shooter. Now he’s a player.”
Jones’ elevated production and versatile skills have boosted his NBA draft profile, though free-throw shooting (68%) and defense remain areas for improvement.
“They say what’s done in the dark will come to light,” Jones said. “I was in the gym with Coach watching film — watching film before games, watching film late nights, early mornings, trying to constantly figure out ways to get better. That’s the name of the game.”
Jones will lead Marquette in their next matchup Saturday at 11 a.m. ET against Georgia. With his current form, anything is possible.
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