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

5. Jemerrio Jones

After spending a pair of seasons at Hills College, a junior college in Texas, Jones got his D1 chance and took full advantage. A 6’5 forward from Memphis, Jones arrived at New Mexico State in 2016 and had a pair of solid seasons, spending a season apiece playing for head coaches Paul Weir and Chris Jans.

Jones wasn’t a starter in his junior year, but he did average 9.7 points and 8.4 rebounds off the bench, becoming an important part of the frontcourt regardless. He had a 23-point, 18-rebound effort against UC Irvine and helped lead the Aggies to the Big Dance. Senior year is where the magic happened, as Jones now averaged 11.0 points and 13.2 rebounds in another fantastic season for the Aggies. They won regular season and tournament titles in the WAC, while Jones had five 20-rebound performance, including three straight late in conference play.

For that final collegiate campaign, Jones was named WAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP while also securing a spot on the All-Defense team. Not only was he the WAC’s top scoring threat from inside the arc, but he was the national leader in rebounds for the season. Jones played in the Big Dance to finish off both of his D1 seasons and clearly became a major force with these Aggies during that time.