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PrintWNBA - Marion Jones joins the Tulsa Shock
Marion Jones is one of the world’s most celebrated athletes.
Despite being an extremely talented California high school sprint champion, Jones declined a spot on the U.S. Olympic relay team as a high school student. Instead, she starred on the basketball court at Thousand Oaks High School and led the team to a California State Basketball Championship in 1992 before being named the California Division I Player of the Year as a senior.
Jones accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of North Carolina (UNC).
In her freshman year, Jones, a talented, quick point guard, led her Tar Heel team to the 1994 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. As the UNC starting point guard, she led the Tar Heels to a 92-10 record over three seasons.
Jones still ranks fifth on UNC’s career assists list, third in steals and seventh in blocked shots. She was drafted by the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in the 2003 WNBA draft (third round, 33rd overall) but never played for the team.
In 1997, Jones graduated from UNC with a degree in broadcast journalism. She immediately returned to the track and, as a member of the USA Track Team, won gold medals in the 100 meters and 4x100-meter relay in the 1997 World Championships.
In 1998 she recorded personal bests of 10.65 in the 100 meters and 21.62 in the 200 meters. These marks still stand in the record books.
After defending her 100-meter title at the 1999 World Championships, Jones went on to win five medals, three gold and two bronze at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
In 2007, Jones was stripped of those medals because of her admission to using performance-enhancing drugs. As a result of her confession, she was sentenced and served six months in federal prison for lying to federal investigators. Jones voluntarily returned her five Olympic medals and publicly apologized to her family, friends and fans all over the world.
In May 2008, while 8 months pregnant with her third child, Jones received a telephone call asking whether she had an interest in playing professional basketball in the WNBA. She immediately jumped at the opportunity to return to her first love — basketball.
In September 2009, Jones officially began basketball skills and conditioning training under the guidance of Olaf Lang, assistant coach of the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars. By November 2009, it was clear that Jones still possessed the skills required to play professional basketball in the WNBA.
As an unrestricted free agent WNBA rookie, Jones was free to choose which WNBA team best suited her up-tempo, speed-oriented style of play. Five teams were on her list. Ultimately, she determined that the Tulsa Shock and coach Nolan Richardson would be the best fit.
On March 6, 2010, after participating in an intense tryout session, Richardson offered Jones a contract. On March 10, 2010, Jones was officially introduced as a member of the 2010 WNBA Tulsa Shock team.
