By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
There are three rounds left in the BKT EuroCup regular season, and in Round 16, Dolomiti Energia Trento playmaker DeVante’ Jones emerged as the competition’s most valuable player.
The Italian club’s floor general is enjoying an outstanding season, currently averaging a PIR of 23.6, the best mark in the BKT EuroCup.
From Coastal Carolina to teammate of Victor Wembanyama
Jones, a 27-year-old standing 1.83 meters tall, began his college career at Coastal Carolina University. He spent three excellent seasons there, with the third being particularly impressive: he led the team in scoring with 19.3 points per game while also averaging more than seven rebounds, remarkable numbers for a point guard.
He finished his college career at Michigan, where he played in March Madness in 2022. The Wolverines reached the Sweet 16, where they were eliminated by Villanova, an eventual Final Four participant.
Jones went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and decided to continue his career in Europe. He spent his first two professional seasons in France, beginning with Metropolitans 92. During the 2022-23 season, his teammates included Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly, now NBA standouts.
After Metropolitans, he played for Le Mans, then joined Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. With the Slovenian club, he won both the Slovenian League title and the national cup in 2025. This season, he became a member of Trento.
Breakout season in Trento
Now in January, it is clear that Jones is playing the best basketball of his career with Trento, leading the team toward the next phase of the BKT EuroCup.
Statistically, he is currently the top player in the competition. He is averaging 18.4 points per game, along with 4.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting efficiently from the field. He is converting over 60% of his two-point attempts, 35% from three-point range, and 88% from the free-throw line, an important factor given that he draws more than six fouls per game.
In nearly 28 minutes per contest, Jones averages just 1.4 turnovers, an excellent figure considering his role as the team’s primary ball handler.
After slightly quieter performances against Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse and Turk Telekom Ankara in the first four rounds, Jones found his rhythm. From Round 5 onward, he has not recorded a PIR below 17. His standout performance came in Round 15 against Lietkabelis Panevezys, when he posted 24 points (9-of-11 shooting) and 10 assists for 43 efficiency points, earning MVP honors.
Jones’s style of play
Jones is extremely quick, thrives in transition, has a low center of gravity, and is physically strong. Despite often being one of the shorter players on the court, he is very effective around the rim.
He also has a reliable three-point shot, serves as the team’s leader, and benefits from the complete trust of Trento head coach Massimo Cancellieri.
At the moment, everything is trending positively. Trento sits at 9-6 and appears well positioned to secure a spot in the EuroCup Playoffs. With a bit of luck, they could even challenge for a top-two finish and direct qualification to the quarterfinals. If that happens, DeVante’ Jones will be the driving force behind the success.