If you were watching the NBA in the mid-90s, you remember the face. You definitely remember the hustle. Ronald "Popeye" Jones wasn't the guy you’d pick to win a dunk contest—actually, legend has it he never even dunked in an NBA game—but he was the guy you wanted under the rim when a shot went clanging off the iron.
He was a human magnet for leather.
While the league was obsessing over the flashy "Next Jordan" types, Popeye Jones was busy carving out a career based on pure, unadulterated grit. Most fans know him as a solid role player or the guy with the famous nickname, but the story is a lot deeper than just a few double-doubles in Dallas. It's about a small-town kid from Tennessee who became an absolute force of nature on the glass and then, somehow, raised a family of hockey superstars.
The Rebounding Anomaly in Dallas
Let's look at the numbers because they’re honestly kind of ridiculous. In the 1994-95 season, Popeye averaged 10.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. The following year? 11.3 points and 10.8 rebounds.
He was 6'8".
In an era of 7-foot giants like Shaq, Hakeem, and David Robinson, a 6'8" power forward isn't supposed to live in the top ten of the rebounding charts. But Popeye did. He once grabbed 28 rebounds in a single game for the Mavericks. To this day, that stands as a franchise record. Think about all the legendary players who have put on a Mavs jersey—Luka, Dirk, Tyson Chandler—and it’s still Popeye Jones at the top of that specific mountain.
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There’s also that weird, almost impossible stat from March 10, 1994. Popeye played just 17 minutes against the Pacers and pulled down 12 offensive rebounds. The kicker? He didn't record a single defensive rebound. Not one. It’s an NBA record that highlights exactly who he was: a relentless hunter of the ball who didn't care about the "easy" boards. He wanted the ones he had to fight for.
From Murray State to Italy (and Back)
Before he was a cult hero in the NBA, he was a flat-out superstar at Murray State. If you walk into the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky, today, you'll see his #54 hanging in the rafters. He’s the only player in the school's history to rack up over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
The path wasn't a straight line, though.
The Houston Rockets took him in the second round of the 1992 draft, but he didn't head straight to Texas. Instead, he packed his bags for Milan, Italy. Playing for Aresium Milano gave him a year to toughen up and refine his game before the Mavericks eventually traded for his rights.
It worked.
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When he finally hit the NBA hardwood in 1993, he was ready. He wasn't some project; he was a finished product of work ethic. He bounced around a lot after those peak Dallas years—Toronto, Boston, Denver, Washington, Golden State—but the reputation followed him. Coaches knew that if they put Popeye on the floor, the other team wasn't getting any second-chance points.
The Most Unlikely Hockey Dad in America
Here is where the story takes a turn that nobody saw coming. You have an NBA rebounding machine and his wife, Amy, raising three boys. You’d expect a basketball dynasty, right?
Nope.
While Popeye was playing for the Denver Nuggets around 1999, his oldest son Justin got interested in hockey. Popeye, being a supportive dad who admittedly knew "zero" about the sport, reached out to Colorado Avalanche legend Joe Sakic for advice. Sakic told him to get the kids on skates early.
The result?
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- Seth Jones became a superstar NHL defenseman and a Stanley Cup contender.
- Caleb Jones also carved out a legitimate career in the NHL.
- Justin Jones played high-level college and minor league hockey.
It’s one of the coolest crossovers in sports history. You’ve got a father who won an NBA Championship as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets in 2023, and a son in Seth who has been an NHL All-Star and one of the highest-paid blueliners in the league.
Why Popeye Jones is Back in Dallas
As of 2026, things have come full circle. After a successful stint in Denver that included that 2023 ring, Popeye returned to the place where his playing career really took off. He’s currently an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks under Jason Kidd.
He’s not there for the spotlight. He’s there for the same reason he was on the court in 1995: he understands the "dirty work." He's the guy teaching young bigs how to box out, how to read the flight of the ball, and how to stay calm when the game gets physical.
What You Can Learn from the Popeye Method
If you’re a fan or a student of the game, there’s a lot to take away from how Popeye Jones approached his career. He wasn't the most athletic guy on the floor. He wasn't a spacer who could knock down threes at a high clip (though he did try a few!).
- Master one "un-fakeable" skill. Rebounding is about heart and positioning. Popeye made himself indispensable by being the best at something most people find boring.
- Longevity is about adaptation. He transitioned from a double-double machine to a bench veteran, and then into a championship-winning coach. He never stopped learning the game.
- Support the passion, not the legacy. He didn't force his sons to pick up a basketball. By letting them find their own path in hockey, he helped create a multi-sport family legacy that is nearly unparalleled.
The next time you see a box score where a guy has 15 rebounds and only 4 points, think of Popeye. The game needs those guys. Without them, the stars don't get the ball back, and the rings don't get won.
To really appreciate his impact, go back and watch some grainy 90s footage of him battling Charles Barkley or Dennis Rodman. He didn't back down. That's why, thirty years later, he’s still a fixture on an NBA sideline. He’s the ultimate proof that if you’re willing to do what others won't, there will always be a place for you in the league.