[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 10, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING BASKETBALL LEGEND SAM JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 2015

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, today it is with great pleasure that I 
rise to commemorate the contributions of Sam Jones. Mr. Jones was a 
star Guard in college and went on to play professionally for the Boston 
Celtics. On March 5, 2015, Mr. Jones' alma mater of North Carolina 
Central University will retire his jersey inside McDougald-McLendon 
Gymnasium.
  Sam Jones was born June 24, 1933 in Wilmington, North Carolina and 
attended Laurinburg Institute located in Scotland County, North 
Carolina. After, Mr. Jones went to Durham where he attended what was 
then known as North Carolina College and quickly became a breakout star 
on the basketball court. Mr. Jones played at North Carolina College 
from 1951 until 1954 and again from 1956 until 1957. While there, he 
amassed 1,745 career points under head coaches John McLendon and Floyd 
Brown. Nearly 60 years after leaving North Carolina College, Mr. Jones 
is still the school's second-leading scorer.
  In 1957, Mr. Jones entered the NBA draft and was selected by the 
Boston Celtics in the first round as the eighth overall pick. During 
his remarkable 12 year career with the Celtics, Mr. Jones scored 15,411 
points and averaged 17.7 points per game and also had 4,305 career 
rebounds and 2,209 career assists. Impressively, Mr. Jones led the 
Boston Celtics to 10 NBA championship wins--the second most of any NBA 
player--behind his then teammate--Bill Russell. He also played in five 
All Star games and is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA 
players of all time.
  Mr. Jones was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 
1969 and both the North Carolina Central University Hall of Fame and 
the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. In 
1970, Mr. Jones was selected as part of the NBA 25th Anniversary All-
Time Team and was later honored by being named among the top 50 players 
in the history of the NBA as a member of the 50th Anniversary All-Time 
Team in 1996.
  Throughout his career, Sam Jones never lost sight of what was most 
important--his family. He is married to Gladys Jones and together they 
have five adult children--Aubrey, Phyllis, Michael, Terri, and Ashley 
and many grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, Sam Jones has served as inspiration to generations of 
young men and women both here and around the world who are drawn to the 
game of basketball. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
Mr. Sam Jones on the high honor bestowed upon him by our shared alma 
mater of North Carolina Central University.

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