Jones’ long road to health
After beating cancer, Horns guard’s big moment arrives
AUSTIN — The uniform was different this time. A pair of latex gloves covered his hands. A blue surgical mask stretched across his haggard face. Plastic tubing ran from machine to forearm vein, delivering chemotherapy drugs in a controlled drip.
In early February 2018, Andrew Jones would’ve given anything to be back in burnt orange. But MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston was home for the time, and standstill shots from a couple paces in front of an 8-foot hoop was all the former Mcdonald’s All-american could manage.
Over time, as grueling treatments battled the leukemia inside his body, Jones (and the IV) moved further and further back. The rim rose higher and flat-footed attempts became jumpers. Meandering layups transformed into dunks. Devastation became hope.
Now, a little more than three years after his initial diagnosis rattled the Texas community, Jones is readying to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Remarkably, he’ll enter Saturday’s game against No. 14 seed Abilene Christian (24-3) as the third-seeded Longhorns’ leading scorer.
“I just remember two years ago when he was working out, he had the bag attached to him while he was practicing,” Texas senior Matt Coleman said Thursday. “He was doing anything just to be on the court. And that just right there is everything you need to know about him.”
The NCAA Tournament is a made-for-tv drama, complete with dark horses, underdogs and redemption. It’s Loyola-chicago streaking to the 2018 Final Four with Sister Jean partying court
side. It’s Shaka Smart’s VCU Rams escaping the dreaded First Four and defying odds en route to the 2011 national semifinals. It’s Andrew Jones beating cancer to not only return, but star for a team led by a coach who’s had a brush with March magic before.
“He inspires me all the time,” said Smart, who left VCU for Texas in April 2015. “The other day before we played Oklahoma State in the (Big 12) championship game, I found myself next to him coming out of our initial huddle as starters were walking onto the court. And I just said, ‘Man, I’m really glad to be here with you.’
“When you saw him in a hospital bed after he was diagnosed and you saw what he was going through and the look on his face, for him to be out here playing, playing so well, playing in the NCAA Tournament, it’s awesome. There’s really no other way to describe it.”
Jones learned of the leukemia 10 games into his sophomore season.
He missed Texas’ final 24 contests, including its first-round overtime loss to No. 7 seed Nevada in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. He played 11 minutes during the 201819 season amid ongoing chemotherapy treatments, looking like some skeletal imposter in a pair of fleeting November outings.
But on the eve of Texas’ firstround game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Jones looks nothing like the shriveled chemo patient who could barely walk unassisted a few years back. He’s now a sinewy 6-foot-4 package, rebuilt better than ever with the help of his father, David Jones, and strength and conditioning coach Andrea Hudy.
In Big 12 play Jones led Texas (19-7) in scoring average (16.6), made 3s (40) and 20-point games (five), and ranked third in rebounding (5.3) and assist average (2.2). And when his three-year diagnosis anniversary arrived on Jan. 9, Jones celebrated by hitting a game-winning 3-pointer to beat No. 14 West Virginia at WVU Coliseum.
Jones claims the shooting touch never left. Recovering everything else was more challenging.
It took him about seven months post-diagnosis to soar high enough for a slam. A couple years to build back up the lungs, the legs, the muscles that atrophied. Not until chemotherapy treatments ended in September 2019 did Jones start to truly see tangible results on the court.
And he’s overcome that nightmarish battle to help lead Texas to its first Big 12 tournament title and highest seed since 2008, earning All-big 12 second-team honors.
“It just feels great to be out here doing things that I love every day,” Jones said. “Being able to play basketball with my friends and my teammates. I just put all the glory to God for allowing me to be in a position to be healthy, alive, being able to play a high level brand of basketball. I’m appreciative of each day.”
Abilene Christian is a former Division II program playing in its second consecutive NCAA Tournament powered by a defense that ranks No. 32 in defensive efficiency. Toppling the state’s flagship university would become etched in Lone Star State lore.
But it’ll be difficult to find a more compelling tale than Jones’ in the Indiana bubble.
From gloved shootarounds with an IV pump shadow to a clean bill of health and leading role on a team with Final Four aspirations, Jones’ story was made for March Madness.
“He loves the game of basketball,” Coleman said. “And man, like, I can’t put into words how inspiring it was. Just his heart, it just tells you a lot about him. And to see his growth over time is surreal, it’s surreal.”