In recent seasons, Oklahoma City has had a knack for late draft steals. Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams and Lu Dort – even if undrafted – are all Thunder success stories. While Dillon Jones doesn’t necessarily fall directly into that category due to his late first-round status, he looks like the next underrated prospect who could contribute to the Thunder’s success.

Jones was a shining star during Oklahoma City’s summer league and continued to impress during the preseason and training camp. He has talked about his ability to fit into any lineup and any role, and it showed early.

“I would say I can pass well,” Jones said when talking about some of his best qualities. “I think I have the ability to make plays and not just make plays, but singles and doubles and just move the ball. I think that’s a real strength of mine.

“I will definitely say my rebound. I will say that playing with everyone and being here in September, I think that’s something that I’ve seen translate so far and I’ll just continue to do that. I will say these two things specifically. Everything else just comes.”

On Thursday evening, everything Jones described was on display. He played in every position on the pitch and showed his versatility, but was listed as the team’s strong forward. He filled the stat sheet, tallying 23 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks. In typical Thunder fashion, he was extremely efficient, shooting 8 of 13 from the floor and 2 of 3 from long range.

It was more of the same in the first preseason game in Oklahoma City. He added 17 points, five rebounds and three assists on 8-of-11 shooting.

Jones may not have a specific position, but his best asset is the way he can fill in for any position group. If injuries pile up this year, Jones can excel in any situation. He can handle the ball and rebound better than most undersized forwards. Now he just has to wait for his chance.

“You just build a bond with your teammates and do what’s asked of you,” Jones said of his freshman year prospects. “As a newcomer, just try to be where you can, just fill in the gaps where necessary, and because I’m on a good team, my teammates will make my job a lot easier. I’m excited about it.”

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