Jones to Get His Taste in Cowboys’ Trip to Europe

All Curtis Jones wants is a taste.

Jones, a junior guard on the Oklahoma State basketball team, hasn’t played in a competitive basketball game since Indiana’s 69-55 loss to Michigan on Dec. 2, 2017, where Jones played only three minutes. Jones then transferred to OSU and has had to sit out from January until the end of the upcoming fall semester because of NCAA transfer rules. Luckily for Jones, the Cowboys’ opponents in the upcoming European trips don’t play in the NCAA, and Jones gets to play.

“I just want a taste,” Jones said. “I feel like I haven’t played in so long. Just a taste would be good for me. Then, come back here, a little bit of motivation to go after it a little harder and then be ready for the season when I can play again.”

Jones said all the watching he has done for nearly a year has given him a different perspective and that he has picked up things he wouldn’t have had he been playing.

Michael Weathers just finished his year of sitting out after transferring. Weathers has had a lot of time with Jones on the bench in Gallagher-Iba Arena, and Weathers said Jones has grown a lot in the time he’s been at OSU.

OSU coach Mike Boynton said it hasn’t only been Jones’ game that has grown since his time in Stillwater, but Boynton has also seen the former Hoosier mature as a person.

“This is usually the stage, between his sophomore and junior year in college, where you see a big jump in guys understanding how to contribute and getting away from some of the things they learned before and really buying in to the culture and the things that we’re doing here,” Boynton said.

“That along with him being a great kid and teammate is something that we’re really excited about. His basketball ability speaks for itself. He’s a great athlete, and he can really shoot the basketball.”

Apart from basketball, Jones said he’s also looking forward to tasting Europe’s food. With basketball, though, it’ll only be a three small bites, Jones will get his taste in the Cowboys’ games next week in Europe.

“He’s one of the guys that I’m really excited, obviously of the returners, to see in action, and I think it’s good for him, especially considering he won’t be able to play the first half of the year to see how he’ll fit in,” Boynton said.