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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 144
BY SENATOR LONG
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate James "Jimmy" Jones for being named as an inductee to the
2013 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens and Senate of Louisiana have
learned of the prestigious honor bestowed upon basketball star James "Jimmy" Jones on his
induction in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, the inductees are chosen after extensive deliberations by an expert panel
of Louisiana Sports Writers' Association members from across the state who annually
consider more than one hundred twenty nominees for this honor; and
WHEREAS, Jimmy Jones was born in January of 1945 in Tallulah, Louisiana, and
attended McCall High School and Grambling State; and
WHEREAS, the 6'4", 188 pound Tallulah native and guard/small forward averaged
20 points and 8 rebounds in one hundred and four games and was the star of three straight
Southwestern Athletic Conference championship teams at Grambling State from 1963
through 1967; and
WHEREAS, after spurning an offer from the National Basketball Association's
(NBA's) then Baltimore Bullets, who made him the 13
th
overall pick in the second round of
the 1967 NBA Draft, Jones opted to begin his professional career playing for the American
Basketball Association (ABA) for the New Orleans Buccaneers, later transferred to the
Memphis Pros, and finally to the Utah Stars, he was by far one of the best players in the
ABA, averaging 19.2 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds during his seven years in that
league; and
WHEREAS, during his ABA career, he was regularly recognized for his incredible
skill and talent, including being named to the 1968 ABA All-Rookie Team, six times to the
ABA All Stars where he scored double figures in five of the games, three times to the First
Team All-ABA, and finally to the ABA All-Time Team; and SR NO. 144 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Mr. Jones is regarded as one of the best ABA players of all time and
became only the second player to score two thousand plus points in a single season scoring
two thousand fifty points in his 1968-1969 season; and
WHEREAS, in 1974, Mr. Jones joined the NBA where he played three more seasons
with the Washington Bullets before his retirement in 1977; and
WHEREAS, his impressive combined ten season pro averages are 16.3 points (eleven
thousand three hundred sixty-six total points), 4.6 rebounds (two thousand nine hundred
thirty total rebounds) and 4.5 assists (three thousand sixty-nine total assists); and
WHEREAS, Mr. Jones is a distinguished member of the Grambling Legends Hall
of Fame; and
WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
and the overall vitality of American society depends, in great measure, upon the dedication
of great men like James "Jimmy" Jones who strive to show others through hard work and
dedication that all dreams are possible.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate James "Jimmy" Jones on his impressive and
successful basketball career and on being named as an inductee to the 2013 Louisiana Sports
Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Mr.
James "Jimmy" Jones.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE