Why Max Jones is hoping for another season at Kansas State even though he’s a senior
Max Jones doesn’t know what the future holds for his college eligibility.
But as a former Division II basketball player, there is hope that he will be allowed to come back for another year with the Kansas State Wildcats, even though he’s a fifth-year senior.
That puts Jones in an awkward position as he prepares for his senior day when K-State hosts Iowa State at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday inside Bramlage Coliseum. Will it be the final home game of his college career or not?
All he can say for sure is that he hopes his time in Manhattan isn’t over.
“I definitely want to stay here at Kansas State,” Jones said. “I’m still going to play this game, and the rest of our games, like it’s my last. But I definitely want that D-II waiver to come in place.”
Jones is averaging 10 points and four rebounds as he wraps up his first season with K-State. He has started in all 30 games for head coach Jerome Tang.
The Wildcats brought in Jones as a transfer from Fullerton, where he scored 766 points over a productive two-year period. But he got his start playing basketball at the Division II level for the University of Tampa. For that reason, there is hope that his first years of college hoops won’t count against his eligibility at the Division I level.
Wisconsin football player Nyzier Fourqurean successfully sued the NCAA for extra eligibility, arguing that his time at Division II Grand Valley State shouldn’t count against his eligibility clock.
It is not yet known if that ruling will be upheld for every student-athlete, like Jones, who finds himself in a similar situation.
But Tang is crossing his fingers for that to be the case.
“We have been on the forefront of that one,” Tang said. “Anything we can do to get another year of eligibility for Max Jones, I am all about it.”
Another year of Jones could do wonders for K-State heading into next season. If he returns, he will give the Wildcats a returning starter on the wing who has arguably been the most consistent player on the roster this year.
Jones, who is originally from Clearwater, Florida, said his parents will be in Manhattan on Saturday to watch him play his final game of the season at Bramlage Coliseum. He will be motivated to play well in front of them. But there’s a chance they can watch him play more games in a purple uniform next season.