Today we’d like to introduce you to David Jones. Them and their team share their story with us below:
David Jones didn’t seek out basketball. Instead, basketball found him. In fact, Jones grew up playing more football than basketball. It wasn’t until high school when he finally picked up a basketball. But when he did, he never let go. Coming late to the game of basketball, Jones felt lucky to get to play ball at Concordia Lutheran College. Three years in, Jones had an unexpected opportunity to play in the summer pro league in Los Angeles, Ca.
There, he landed yet another hot opportunity to visit with the professional league in Germany, BBL. “When I arrived in Germany, they (coaches) took one look at my size and said no way,” said Jones. Jones is 6’1. He says he is pretty sure he was scheduled for the next flight back to the United States when a second life-changing opportunity landed in front of him. Another player being flown in from the United States missed his flight. Jones got to play in his place. and the 6’1 guard dropped 52 points with eleven 3-point-shots!
The BBL signed Jones to a guaranteed contract the following day. “All I asked was to be given a chance,” said Jones. This philosophy that every player deserves an opportunity to prove him or herself fueled Jones as he played professional ball for over 13 years throughout Europe and Asia. It also led him to discover a passion for sharing his basketball knowledge and experience with tomorrow’s players. Towards the end of Jones’ professional career in Germany, he had the opportunity to coach clinics and camps. It was there that Jones realized that developing basketball players was his true calling.
In 2004, Jones, now living in San Antonio, Texas, launched Shooting For Success, the youth basketball organization. It offers private training as well as clinics and camps. It also offers competitive club basketball. In addition to training up-and-coming young ballers helping them to become sound in the fundamentals of basketball, Jones has also trained elite level players including Jeremy Lin. Jones worked with Lin to get him ready for the NBA draft helping to catapult Lin’s professional career. It was during this training that the national press nicknamed DJ, ‘The Shot Doctor.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
“It’s never been a smooth road,” said Jones about his professional career playing basketball and quest to become a top basketball trainer, globally. “I was a shorter guy who went to a small school,” Jones said. “A lot of teams didn’t want to take a risk on a player that was built like me. Jones said his road to success took grit and hard work. “I hate to be a buzzkill to kids today but if they don’t have a strong work ethic, it will be tough to succeed.
“This mindset helped Jones shape his youth basketball organization into a team environment that places a big emphasis on core values. DJ and his coaches don’t just talk the talk. They demonstrate important values like leadership, sportsmanship, responsibility, perseverance, work ethic, commitment and expect their players to demonstrate that too.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Shooting For Success is a basketball organization dedicated to teaching athletes the correct fundamentals, a better understanding of the game, and a set of core values we expect our players to demonstrate on and off the court.
Shooting For Success, founded by former professional player David Jones, offers private training, camps and clinics, club teams, fundamentals training, and virtual training. “If I see potential and commitment, I will develop it,” says Jones. For that reason, SFS, unlike a lot of other competitive club teams, has structured its competitive teams into multiple levels allowing for each and every player to get ample playtime and the opportunity to grow as a player and person. SFS rarely cuts players. This philosophy is rooted in Jones’ own experiences playing basketball. “If you work hard enough, anything is possible,” said Jones. At 6’1 and having attended a Division III college, Jones believes his professional basketball career is proof.
Ever since media coined Jones ‘The Shot Doctor’ for training Jermey Lin pre-NBA draft, Jones has been sought out for private basketball training stemming from his innate ability to pick apart and perfect a player’s shooting ability. Jones works with players of all levels and ages but tends to have a large clientele of players who are looking to play in college or professionally. “I don’t just train them once or twice on the court and that’s it,” said Jones. “I mentor those whom I train.” Jones and those he trains one-on-one work closely together on mental toughness. They work on attitude on the court. They talk about life off the court.
And sometimes Jones’ tactics are unique. Jones is known to have called in players to his gym at midnight or early before the sun rises to get in a workout Jones deemed as crucial. “I leave the gym thinking about what a player needs to do to get better,” said Jones. “There have been times that an epiphany comes to me at some crazy hour of the day or night and I call that player into the gym to fix what we need to fix or practice what we need to practice. Sometimes that’s what it takes.”
Jones has a large appeal and following, globally. This fall, 2021, Shooting For Success has two players who have come from different countries to train under DJ. One young man is from Brazil. The other is from Mexico. Both go to their respective schools virtually and practice with DJ’s varsity club teams. Jones has also run basketball clinics in Germany, China, Vietnam, and India, Jones is proud and intrigued by the global appeal of Shooting For Success and American Basketball. “In a lot of these countries basketball is just now picking up momentum as a sport,” said Jones.
“They are always impressed with how much we focus on fundamentals and skill.” In 2021, Jones was even named a coach on the Vietnamese Women’s National Team. Covid restrictions have put Vietnam’s season on hold, however, Jones is expected to reconvene with the Women’s National Team in the near future. His primary role as a coach will be to train the ladies to compete in the SEA games netting a potential Olympic bid.
What matters most to you?
Teaching basketball fundamentals and coaching a team to improve and even win is an outstanding experience as a coach and former player. But what motivates me to do what I do every single day is knowing that I have an opportunity to be a positive influence in someone’s life – on and off the court. It is that role that matters most to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: dj@shootingforsuccess.net
- Website: www.shootingforsuccess.net
- Instagram: @sfsbasketball
- Facebook: @ShootingForSuccess
Image Credits
Mewborne Photography
