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Warriors Draft Lajae Jones With 54th Overall Pick

The late second‑round choice gives Golden State a 6'7", defensively versatile wing who enters a development track where improved shooting will determine his role.

Overview

  • The Golden State Warriors selected Lajae Jones with the 54th overall pick Wednesday night, formally adding him to the organization after they took Yaxel Lendeborg a day earlier.
  • Jones measured 6'7" and 220 pounds at the NBA Combine and averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds last season at Florida State after a college path that included Tarleton State, a JUCO year at Barton, and St. Bonaventure.
  • Scouts praise his size, strength, motor and ability to defend multiple positions, describing him as a moldable two‑way wing whose primary NBA value is his defensive versatility.
  • Concerns center on inconsistent three‑point shooting (32.5 percent at FSU) and limited playmaking, making perimeter shooting the key skill he must develop to win rotation minutes.
  • As a late second‑round pick Jones faces long odds for immediate playing time but joins a Warriors system with a recent history of turning late picks into rotation players and will compete with Yaxel Lendeborg, Will Richard and Gui Santos for wing minutes; the team plans a Chase Center news conference to introduce him and Lendeborg on Friday.