Top 3 NBA draft fits for Xavier shooting guard Colby Jones: Feat. Memphis, OKC, and the Nets

There are players who climb up and fall down the draft rankings during March Madness. Colby Jones is a pretty good example. The youngster got himself noticed, as he repeatedly put in good performances. At times, it seemed as if he was dragging Xavier Musketeers all by himself.

Jones is a shooting guard with robust aspects of his game that will merit more than a mere mention by NBA GMs. He is being touted as a 20th - 30th draft pick which throws up interesting potential destinations.

Could he end up making up an exciting core at OKC with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, or is he poised to team up with Ja Morant and the Grizzlies?

Jones' potential destinations

Colby Jones is being touted as a top-30 pick during the draft, and teams such as Brooklyn Nets, Grizzlies, and Oklahoma City Thunder will be keeping an eye on his situation.

During Xavier's run to the sweet sixteen, Jones stepped up several times to rescue them. He has shown a willingness to use his physicality to drive with the ball and draw fouls. He has also shown a tendency to demand the ball in tough situations and make the hard shots.

In addition, he has shown excellent rebounding, with his numbers steadily rising up to last season's average high of 7.3. He has the hunger to keep up with his man and frustrate any easy shots the opposition might get.

Colby's strengths and weaknesses

Colby has been described as a Swiss army knife since he can do almost everything on the court. He has a feel for the game that is a hallmark of players way older than he is.

Standing at 6'5 with a 6'8 wingspan, he possesses intensity and athleticism that belies his size and allows him to guard bigger opponents. In the recently concluded season, he averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, shooting 50.9% from the field.

His inventive passing ability is one of his best attributes, and he has both the vision and instant decision-making that marks him as a cut above the rest.

On the downside, he lacks a quick first step and a smooth release which could also impact where he ultimately ends up on draft night. His shooting beyond the arc is also inconsistent, but he has time to improve on that, and teams won't mind giving him the time to level up.