Grizzlies’ Tyus Jones welcomes brother Tre Jones to NBA
After the Grizzlies took the court for warmups at Fedex Forum on Wednesday night, Tyus Jones walked over to his younger brother Tre Jones of the San Antonio Spurs.
They embraced and looked up in the stands.
Three members of the brothers' family waved wildly from a suite at Fedexforum. They snapped pictures with their phones anticipating the first NBA meeting between the two brothers.
It will have to wait for the two guards. Tyus Jones played 13 minutes in the Grizzlies' season-opening 131-119 loss while Tre Jones' NBA debut was delayed.
“It's something that we both have been working towards and dreaming about since we were little kids. Playing in the NBA, playing against each other and what that would be like,” Tyus Jones said.
Tre Jones was drafted in the second round with the 41st overall pick. Five years ago, he celebrated the news with hundreds of others in Minneapolis when his brother was a first-round draft pick and 24th overall selection and made his way to the Timberwolves.
This time, the roles were reversed as Tyus Jones celebrated with his brother and a smaller group due to the pandemic when the Spurs selected him last month. It was still a special moment.
“Since we were playing in our small hoops in our playroom when we were growing up,” Tre Jones said. “Playing NBA 2K and NBA Live against each other and doing all those things, just imagining being in this position. Now we're finally here.”
The two only shared the court once in a game, when Tyus was a high school senior and Tre was in eighth grade. Both found success at Duke with Tyus Jones winning a national championship and Tre Jones being named ACC Player of the Year last season as well as Defensive Player of the Year.
Tyus Jones' only concern about playing against his brother's team in the season opener was more for selfish reasons.
“I remember after he got drafted, just thinking man I hope we don't play on the same night so I'm able to watch his (first) game,” Tyus Jones said.
He'll get the chance as an unintended benefit of Tre Jones not playing, Whenever he makes his debut, Tyus Jones will be on the phone ready to congratulate his brother.
The Grizzlies and Spurs meet later this season on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 in San Antonio. By then, they hope for one more goal to come true as they share the court not just for pictures but to play against each other in an NBA game.
As great as it was to play together briefly in high school, Tyus Jones said that NBA moment would top it.
“It's one of those things like I said you dream about since we were little,” Tyus Jones said. “Those dreams are so big that when they actually come true or become a reality, you sit back and you're kind of speechless.”