Damon Jones
A journeyman shooter who carved out a decade-long NBA career with a confident three-point stroke and even more confident personality.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: August 25·Generation X
Biography
Damon Jones's path through the NBA was that of a determined survivor, playing for ten different teams in ten seasons. Undrafted out of the University of Houston, he refused to be defined by the label of a backup, instead becoming a specialist. His quick-release three-point shot was his ticket, and he leveraged it with a swagger that made him a fan favorite. Jones's most notable stint came with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he started 66 games alongside a young LeBron James during the 2005-06 season. He often proclaimed himself the 'best shooter in the world,' a bold claim that reflected the unshakable self-belief required to last so long on basketball's fringes. After retiring, he moved into coaching, bringing his veteran perspective to player development.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Damon was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Damon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Damon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 10 seasons in the NBA for 10 different franchises, a testament to his valued specialist skills.
- Started 66 games at point guard for the 2005-06 Cleveland Cavaliers, a playoff team led by LeBron James.
- Led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage for the Miami Heat during the 2004-05 season.
- Averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 assists per game in a career-high 81 games for the Sacramento Kings in 2003-04.
Did You Know?
He famously celebrated made three-pointers by mimicking a holstered gun, a signature move.
Jones served as a player development coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers after his playing career ended.
He was known for his flamboyant suits and confident media interviews.
In the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, he infamously guaranteed a Cavaliers victory in Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons; the Cavs lost the game and the series.
“I stayed ready so I could make the open three when my number was called.”
