Larry Jones
4x ABA All-Star | 3x All-ABA Selections | Former NBA & College Coach
Larry Jones was born on September 22, 1941, in Columbus, Ohio. He played the point guard position and played college basketball at the University of Toledo. Jones later played 12 seasons with the NBA, American Basketball Association, (NBA) and the Western Basketball Association (WBA). After he retired, Jones was a coach for 6 total seasons with Franklin University, the Las Vegas Dealers, and the Columbus Minks women’s basketball team.
Jones was selected with the 20th overall pick in the third round of the 1964 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. After a season with the 76ers, he played for the Wilkes-Barre Barons.
In the ABA, Jones played for the Denver Rockets, Miami Floridians, Utah Stars, and Dallas Chaparrals. He was a 4× ABA All-Star from 1968–1971 and was named to the All-ABA First Team three times in 1968–1970. Jones was also the first ABA player to score 2,000 points in a season.
Jones returned to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 1973–1974 season. Afterwards, he played for the Munich Eagles of the European Professional Basketball League, which folded after only one season. Later in 1975, he finished his career with the 1975–1976 season with the Wilkes-Barre Barons After a 12-season playing career, he retired in 1976.
In 2011, he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
Coach Larry Jones passed away on August 16, 2025.
- Overall Coaching Record: 36-29
- Western Basketball Association: 24-24
- Women’s Basketball Association: 12-5
Coaching Career
After 12 seasons as a player, Jones became an assistant coach under Herb Brown for the Detroit Pistons. In his first season as an assistant coach, the Pistons finished with a 44–38 record, qualifying for the playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in 3 games (2-1). The following season, the Pistons finished with a 38–44 record, missing the playoffs.
Notable Players Coached
- Bob Lanier
- 8× NBA All-Star (1972–1975, 1977–1979, 1982)
- 1974 NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 1971 NBA All-Rookie First Team
- No. 16 retired by Detroit Pistons
- No. 16 retired by Milwaukee Bucks
- M.L. Carr
- 2× NBA champion (1981, 1984)
- 1979 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1976 ABA All-Rookie First Team
- 1979 NBA steals leader
- Jim Price
- 1975 NBA All-Star
- 1974 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1973 NBA All-Rookie First Team
- Kevin Porter
- 4× NBA assists leader (1975, 1978, 1979, 1981)
- Chris Ford
- 2× NBA champion as assistant coach (1984, 1986)
- Roger Brown (1976 ABA All-Star)
Coach Jones became the head coach of the Las Vegas Dealers, a basketball team of the Western Basketball Association. The team finished with a 24-24 record. After the season, the Dealers along with the rest of the league’s teams, decided to wind down and fold.
After serving as the director of player personnel for the Women’s Professional Basketball League, Coach Jones became the head coach of the basketball team at Franklin University.
Coach Jones returned to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio to become the head coach of the Columbus Minks of the Women’s American Basketball Association. Jones had a 12-5 record before the league could not afford to finish the remaining games.