‘An experience like none other’: Nickerson’s Ava Jones explodes onto recruiting scene
Since the age of five, Ava Jones has wanted to play big-time college basketball and reach the WNBA.
Countless young girls growing up in small towns — just like Jones, who hails from Nickerson (population: 1,007) — aspire to do the same. But only a handful turn those dreams into reality.
Now a 6-foot-2 sophomore forward averaging 23.7 points and 10.2 rebounds for a state-ranked Nickerson team, Jones is beginning to feel like her childhood dreams are in reach following a breakout summer playing on the AAU circuit with Wheat State Elite.
After receiving no scholarship offers last summer, Jones had 15 Division I offers — 11 of them coming from high-major conference teams — since this summer. Colleges from almost every power conference wanted Jones, now rated as the third-best Class of 2023 prospect in Kansas, before she recently narrowed her college choices down to Arizona State, Clemson, Drake, Iowa State, Nebraska, West Virginia and Wichita State.
“It’s kind of crazy how fast everything has gone,” Jones said. “Last year I went underrecruited at this time and now I spend 12 hours a week on the phone with colleges. It feels like it all happened so fast. It’s been an experience like none other.”
That’s because Jones didn’t start playing competitive basketball until the sixth grade and didn’t start playing on the AAU circuit until last summer. Natural athleticism in a 6-2 frame — she can grab the rim at 10 feet and dunk at 9-8 — have made Jones an enticing prospect for colleges to project in three years. Wheat State Elite owner Dylan Evans believes Jones can exceed those expectations.
“She was given a gift and that is how athletic she is and then you factor in her ability and how coordinated she is,” Evans said. “There’s just so much raw potential there. We know Ava has a good chance of playing professional basketball and every single coach we’ve talked to sees that potential in her. The sky is the limit with her.”
The natural athleticism isn’t a surprise considering Jones’ parents were both standout high jumpers. Her father, Trey, still holds Southwestern College’s indoor high jump record, while her mother, Amy, was a state champion at Hugoton.
The other trait Ava was always blessed with was height. Amy still laughs at the memory of fourth-grade Ava, standing a clear head taller than any other player, dominating casual basketball games at the Winfield Recreation Center when the family lived in Winfield.
“She was so much taller than everybody else,” said Amy Jones, who coached her daughter back then. “I can still vividly remember a mom coming over after a game and yelling at me that there was no way that girl could be in the fourth grade. She was like, ‘Did you have to show a birth certificate?’ What’s funny is that Ava was actually one of the youngest girls in her grade. Her birthday isn’t until March.”
Not only does Jones have the height and athleticism, but she plays the game with an innate ability to read the floor and understand where the ball is going to go. That makes her a skilled rebounder and defender, capable of erasing mistakes of others by blocking shots with her long arms and agility.
No longer does Jones simply rely on being taller and more athletic than her competition. Since working with Wichita trainers Craig Nicholson and Marty Frankamp, Jones has developed her ball handling and outside shooting. Paired with her crafty array of post moves, Jones has blossomed into one of the state’s top recruits.
“It’s not surprising because I know how hard she has worked, but it is a little bit surreal,” Amy Jones said. “I’m just super proud of her work ethic on and off the court and her dedication and drive. She is so coachable and she aims to please her coaches and trainers. She is such a driven girl and wants to be the best and I think that’s what these big colleges are seeing in her.”
Colleges are also projecting ahead to 2023. Right now, Jones is already a talented 6-2 forward. But in three years, colleges think Jones could grow a few inches, maintain her athleticism and skills, and become an enticing stretch power forward at the next level.
That’s how Jones views herself and the right basketball fit isn’t the only thing she’s looking for in a college.
“It was a tough decision to get down to seven, but for me it was based off who I trusted the most,” Jones said. “I’m going to pick somewhere I’m going to go to college for four years and it could be close to home or it could be really far away. Wherever I go, I want that family feel and to be able to trust that they have my back and I have their back.”
But Division I basketball is far off in the future — right now Jones is focused on helping Nickerson return to the state tournament. In Jones’ freshman year, the Wildcats finished 21-2, won the Central Kansas League and reached the Class 4A semifinals before their hopes of winning a state title were dashed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Behind Jones’ all-around game (23.7 points on 68% shooting, 10.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.2 blocks), Nickerson is off to a 5-1 start this season and ranked No. 3 in 4A by coaches ahead of Tuesday’s showdown at No. 6 Andale. Nickerson returned a strong core this season with the guard duo of sophomore Josie McLean and junior Kieryn Ontjes, as well as upperclassmen returners in Alexis Allen, McKinzie Starnes and Lanaya Hada.
Jones knows a difficult decision is in the future when she has to decide where to attend college. But until then, she’s more than happy to play with her Nickerson teammates and chase the program’s first state championship.
“I’ve fallen in love with the game of basketball,” Jones said. “It’s the place where I feel the most complete. It’s always fun to go to the gym. It doesn’t matter if we’re doing running drills or shooting drills or dribbling drills. I just feel like basketball is my happy place.”
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 8:14 AM.
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