Verdell Jones fills role as team's most experienced player

As the rest of his team competed against Franklin College in its first exhibition game of the year, Verdell Jones sat on the bench in a gray IU sweat suit.

With a sprained ankle keeping him out of the lineup, the junior guard did what he could to help the Hoosiers. He stood up and cheered. He yelled on-court adjustments. He gave high fives at timeouts.

But for most of the game, Jones had a serious look on his face.

He wanted to play. He also — and more importantly — wanted to lead his team.

And with the regular season here, Jones will finally get his chance.

“I’m trying to be more vocal and really take charge of that leadership role,” Jones said. “This is especially true in practice. I think the young guys have really followed me in that aspect.”

NEW TEAM, NEW LEADER
Without its top 10 scorers from the 2007-08 season — three graduated, one left early for the NBA and six others were either dismissed from the team or transferred — IU was forced to give significant minutes to new additions.

Jones was no exception.

One year after leading Champaign (Ill.) Central High School to the Class 3A semifinals, he was named the starting point guard of a Big Ten team.

Despite averaging 11 points and 3.6 assists while starting 25 games during IU coach Tom Crean’s first season, Jones said he wasn’t as much of a leader as he could have been. His sophomore season, he said he improved but still did not take full control of the team.

This season, though, he’s gained a new sense of confidence that has enabled him to improve as a mentor for his teammates.

“I think the point guard is an extension of the coach, so you have to be a leader,” Jones said. “I’m much more confident going into this year than when I was a freshman and sophomore. I keep trying to build each year.”

Jones said he’s tried to put an emphasis on working with the younger players.

A couple times each month, he’s taken freshmen players out to eat. He’s also had them over to his place to watch sporting events and hang out.

“Last year, I started with the freshmen, and I’m doing the same thing again this year,” Jones said. “I think the closer we are off the court, the closer we will be on it.”

ON-COURT IMPACT
Sophomore guard Maurice Creek remembers the time this season when he noticed a change in Jones’ leadership ability.

At a practice in late September, he said there was a small incident that Jones quickly resolved.

“Verdell brought all of the guys together and told us, ‘Stick together as a family and never get away from that,’” Creek said. “That’s when I saw him becoming the leader that we need.”

Sophomore forward Christian Watford echoed Creek’s sentiments about Jones.

“Actions speak louder than words, and that’s what he’s trying to do,” Watford said. “When practice is starting to go downhill and coaches are starting to get mad, he instantly calls us together and picks us up. Everything goes smoother from
then on.”

Jones not only worked this offseason on being better as a leader, but also as a more well-rounded player.

He met often with new IU strength and conditioning coach Je’Ney Jackson to add more muscle — 15 pounds since March — to his frame. He also spent countless hours shooting in the gym.

Last season, Jones started all 31 games while averaging 14.9 points and 3.4 assists per contest.

Even with these statistics, Crean said he can see a better year ahead for Jones if the right adjustments are made.

“We’re excited about his upside,” Crean said. “The keys for him are to take care of the ball better, be better defensively, and run our club along with Jordan Hulls and Maurice. He’s such a good scorer — he has very good vision, a very good feel for the game. If that maturity continues to develop, I think he’ll be very good.”

LONG-TERM GOALS
Though he praised Jones for his overall improvements, Crean said he does not like to single out any player over another. Individuals do not win games; teams do, he said.

The third-year coach said he is happy with the unity this season’s squad is showing.

“For everyone in the offseason, you are responsible to make sure you are getting better,” Crean said. “When guys bring people with them along the way, that’s really important. It can’t happen one or two times — it has to happen over a period of time. That’s where your consistency in leadership comes.

“Hopefully that will emerge in all of them.”

Jones, like Crean, is not a fan of promoting one player above the rest. He said he realizes the importance of coming together as a unit, and that’s why he’s made such strides in the offseason to better not just himself, but all of his teammates.  

Once that is done, he said, the success will follow.

“My personal goal is to help us win and get to the postseason,” Jones said. “I’m tired of losing, and I know Indiana Nation is tired of losing. This is going to be a big year for the team.”