NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin Men’s Basketball program is excited to announce the hiring of Kwa Jones as the Director of Basketball Operations.
“Our program continues to improve with the addition of Nacogdoches native Kwa Jones as our Director of Basketball Operations. So pleased that we could bring Kwa back. His talents and experiences working for two of the best in our sport in former SFA Coach Brad Underwood at the University of Illinois as well as University of Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson, and most recently this past year in the NBA working for Alvin Gentry and the Sacramento Kings will only enhance our players and staff on a daily basis. I am so excited to see his powerful impact in Lumberjack Basketball.” said SFA Men’s Basketball Head Coach, Kyle Keller.
Kwa is excited to get started.
“I am extremely excited to return back to my hometown of Nacogdoches to pursue this new opportunity with the Lumberjacks. This game of basketball I love so dearly has taken me so many places and for it to come full circle back to where it all started for me, is just a testament of how mysterious God works. I can’t say that I imagined returning home this early in my career, but when Coach Keller presented this opportunity to me it was just too hard not to accept. Not often in this career field do you get to do what you love and be at home at the same time. I’m very grateful to have and be in this position. My goal is to not only have a powerful impact on the program but as well as the community for those that look up to me. Over the past five years I’ve had the privilege to work with some incredible basketball minds. Those experiences have helped groom me into a position where I can help share my knowledge to our Lumberjack Basketball program, and help it continue to grow and excel to newer heights. Truly honored and forever indebted to Coach Keller to return home to represent the purple and white.” added Jones.
Jones is fresh off of a one year NBA stint with the Sacramento Kings where he served under Alvin Gentry as a Video Coaching Associate. Before his time with the Kings, Jones worked for Brad Underwood at the University of Illinois as a Graduate Assistant for two seasons (2019-2021). He earned his Master’s there in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism. Jones spent the previous three years as an on-court student manager for coach Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars (2016-2019). Two of those seasons he was the Head Student Manager for the team. He graduated from the University of Houston in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration and a minor degree in Business. He attended Jacksonville (Texas) College for two years (2014-2016), working as a basketball manager while earning an Associate of Science degree in 2016. A native of Nacogdoches, Jones played basketball for four seasons at Nacogdoches High School.