An NCAA-certified basketball scout in Southeast Texas, Jones takes pride in putting in the work so local players can get the attention they deserve. He’s the Director of Scouting at RSC Sports, which focuses on the Houston area and the Golden Triangle.
Although the high school basketball season ended months ago, Jones’ work never stops. Things get even busier in the summer.
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Jones recently sat down with the Enterprise to discuss how he got into scouting, what the job entails and how the Southeast Texas basketball scene compares to other regions around the state.
Q: Tell us a little about your background and how you got into scouting.
A: I graduated from Port Arthur Lincoln in 2001 and then attended Prairie View A&M University. I was coaching AAU basketball, and then in 2016, an opportunity came up with RCS Sports, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I would do this for free, so to have it as a full-time job is something I really don’t take for granted.
Q: What does it take to become an NCAA-certified scout, and what does that entail?
A: It’s not something that just anyone can do. You have to apply with the NCAA every year and be certified. Basically, they make you submit a mock evaluation and then they approve you or not. As scouts, we evaluate players, then college coaches pay us for those evaluations. Coaches can’t be everywhere to see every player. So, this helps bridge the gap. It’s tedious process, but it saves coaches time and it helps players get noticed.
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Q: What do you do while at games and what do you look for in players?
A: When I go to a game, I try to sit by myself. Sometimes games get really packed, so you just have to do your best to focus on the job. While I’m scouting, I’m looking for positional things. For point guards, are they vocal and do they get their teammates involves? For shooting guards, can they score in multiple ways? I’m looking for how their games can translate to the next level whether that’s Division I, Division II or Division III.
Q: Who are some of the players you remember most from your scouting career?
A: I like finding diamonds in the rough. That’s what I take pride in doing. Some kids that really come to mind are Kasen Harrison, who played at Beaumont United a few years ago. I think he really he has a chance to be one of the best point guards in the country next year at Winthrop.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. is another one. I’ve been knowing him since he was a baby. His dad and my brother were really good friends. He didn’t really pass the eye test in high school, but I knew if he was just given an opportunity, he would take advantage of that. I remember sitting next to coach Talvin Hester from Louisiana Tech and watching one of Junior’s games. The rest was history.
Q: How does the high school season differ from summer basketball for your job?
A: I love the high school season way more. During high school, you can pick and choose what games you want to go to and really dig into who you want to see. In the summer, it’s just crazy. During one weekend in the summer, you might be going to 15 to 20 games in a three-day span. You just get entrenched in it. So, you have to love this job in order to do it in the summer. Plus there are team camps that colleges host for high school players like the Rice camp, the Houston camp and the Lamar camp. Those are great opportunities for kids, too.
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Q: Who are some of the people who helped you along the way in the scouting industry?
A: There are so many. First and foremost, Jim Hicks of RCS Sports really gave me an opportunity, and I’m forever grateful to him. Rick Nelson of Nelson Brand Sports. Reggie Rankin, who is now a scout with the Golden State Warriors. I met him and he helped me in the industry. John Lucas is always one phone call away. And of course, I couldn’t do any of this without my family.
Q: You have a brand now called Doug’s Dozen. Tell us about what that is?
A: Basically it just started with me highlighting 12 guys each week in the Golden Triangle/Houston area, and it’s just blown up from there. It’s really become a big brand for me and something we’re working to make even better in the future.
During the pandemic, we started talking about making it into a tournament. It started with 30 teams, then it grew to 60 teams, then 99 teams. This year, we had 147 teams, and it’s now one of the top tournaments in the state. We’ve had the tournaments in Houston, but now we’re thinking about doing more than one. Maybe giving Southeast Texas a glimpse of one with a Doug’s Dozen border battle between Texas and Louisiana — anything I can do to highlight these local kids, I’m going to do it.