SEC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

10. Herb Jones

A 6’8 wing from Greensboro, Alabama, Jones found his path to success with the Crimson Tide. He originally arrived at Alabama in 2017 and would play two seasons apiece for both Avery Johnson and Nate Oats. Unsurprisingly, his best years were his final ones, helping Oats shape the Crimson Tide into a national power late in this career.

Early in his collegiate career, Jones was a decent player but wasn’t exactly the featured piece for the Crimson Tide. He started a few games as a freshman and started to blossom as a sophomore, finishing the season with an 18-point performance in the NIT. He took another step forward during Oats’ first season but really shined in his senior year. During that season, he’d average 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, leading the Crimson Tide to SEC regular season and Tournament titles. Jones dropped 20 points in both the Tournament semifinals against Tennessee and in the Big Dance against Iona, leading Alabama to the Sweet Sixteen.

In that final season, Jones not only helped Alabama break out in the SEC, but he was named Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the conference. He had his best offensive season while leading the league in steals and being an incredible threat on the defensive side of the ball. Truly developing into a fantastic basketball player in those final years, Jones was drafted early in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.