Bruce Pearl's right-hand man for the fourth-straight season at UWM is Tony Jones. Adding Jones to the staff as the associate head coach was one of the first things Pearl did upon getting the job in Milwaukee in 2001. Jones had spent the previous five seasons as the assistant head coach at Toledo. Together, the two have already made their mark on the program. "Our university is very fortunate to have attracted one of the top assistant coaches in the country," Pearl said. "Tony has brought a wealth of experience at this level, and his contacts in the region have made him a highly effective recruiter. I am excited to continue to have him on my bench." Jones joined the Toledo staff after three years as assistant head coach at the University of Buffalo. He also served as head coach of Team AAU Michigan for three years, leading his teams to a 35-1 record. He also was assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach at Detroit Southwestern High School, his alma mater, from 1986-1991. At the high school level, Jones coached future NBA stars Jalen Rose (Toronto Raptors), Howard Eisley (Phoenix Suns) and Voshon Lenard (Denver Nuggets), capturing two AAU state championships and the mythical USA Today National Title in 1991. "This has been a great opportunity," Jones said. "It's exciting to be working with Bruce Pearl, who I consider to be a close friend and a dynamic coach. I'm looking forward to keeping this program at the top of the Horizon League." Among Jones' many responsibilities are recruiting and scheduling. Jones was instrumental in landing junior college standouts Ed McCants and Derrick Ford and has put the Panthers in the middle of recruiting battles for a number of top players across the country. Plus, the Panthers' schedule this year includes games at Kansas, Wisconsin, Purdue and a home-and-home series with Saint Louis. "Tony is recognized nationally," Pearl said. "He played a major role in helping Toledo become one of the top mid-major programs in the country and he has played the same vital role here. His experience recruiting and his work in developing young people like Jalen Rose and Howard Eisely to reach the NBA is invaluable." Jones was an all-city star at Southwestern and went on to earn all-conference honors at Fisk University in Nashville. He received a bachelor of arts degree in health care administration from Concordia (Mich.) University, where he earned the distinction of being named to the National Dean's List. An avid reader who enjoys golfing, Jones dreams of writing a book on motivation. "There's no question Tony is prepared to be a great head coach himself someday very soon," Pearl said. Jones and his wife, Pam, are the parents of Tony II (22), Jamaal (21), Mercedes (18) and Porscha (13). His brother, Bill, is a former member of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and played professionally in Italy. |
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