Herb Jones on Fringe of Joining Elite Club for Pelicans

Coming out of college and being drafted in the second round by the New Orleans Pelicans, Herb Jones was considered a defensive specialist and wasn't really seen as much of an offensive threat.

But as Aaron Kellerstrass of Pelican Debrief pointed out, Jones is on the brink of joining elite company this season in New Orleans. After playing his way into a starting role and averaging almost 30 minutes per game as a rookie, he has made quite the name for himself on the stat sheet.

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The 50/40/90 club refers to anyone who shoots 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free-throw line. Only nine players in NBA history have ever achieved this feat, including stars like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Steve Nash.

Currently, Jones is shooting 50/40/80 from those three parts of the floor. With his percentage just breaching 50% and 40% from the field and beyond the arc, and sticking at around 81% from the free-throw line after 42 NBA games, the club seems a bit out of reach.

Not to be forgotten, Jones doesn't shoot a ton, which isn't to be glossed over when having this conversation. He is shooting an average of seven times from the field and 1.7 times from the three-point line.

However, shooting this well over halfway into the season and becoming a reliable piece on offense when he does shoot is still quite the accomplishment for Jones. in four years at Bama, he shot only 28.8% from three and averaged less than one attempt per game. It has sort of turned the narrative around that surrounded him before he began his rookie season with the Pelicans.

He credits coach Fred Vinson for helping him gain confidence in his shot.

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"My confidence is growing. Every day, I’m trying to get some type of work in with coach Fred. It’s just that simple. I feel like my confidence is growing because I continue to put in the work,” said Jones.

On top of that, Jones leads the Pelicans in steals with 62 and blocked shots with 39. With 37 games left in the season, he will be a player to continue to watch as he continues to grow as a shooter.