Eddie Jones (basketball)
A sleek and tenacious NBA shooting guard whose defensive prowess and smooth scoring made him a three-time All-Star and a coveted teammate.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 20·Generation X
Biography
Eddie Jones entered the league with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1994, immediately standing out as the prototype for the modern two-way wing. With a slender frame, quick hands, and preternatural anticipation, he became one of the league's premier perimeter defenders, leading the NBA in steals. Offensively, he was a graceful and efficient scorer, capable of hitting the three or finishing in transition. His All-Star seasons made him a cornerstone for the Lakers before he was surprisingly traded to make room for a young Kobe Bryant. Jones then became a vital veteran presence for the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, where his professionalism and skill helped anchor competitive teams, though an NBA championship ring ultimately eluded him throughout his 14-year career.
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.
Eddie was born in 1971, 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 Eddie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Eddie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
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
1992Turned 21
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
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an NBA All-Star three times (1997, 1998, 2000).
- Led the NBA in steals per game during the 1999-2000 season.
- Named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times (1998, 1999, 2000).
- Won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 1997 and was a consistent leader in the category.
Did You Know?
He was traded on two separate occasions for Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal (to Orlando in 1993 and from Miami in 2008).
Jones played college basketball at Temple University for legendary coach John Chaney.
He wore number 6 for most of his career as a tribute to his favorite player, Julius Erving.
After retirement, he worked as a player development assistant for the Detroit Pistons.
“My job was to lock down the other team's best scorer and make him work for everything.”
