Rainbow Warriors replace Coach Thomas with Jones

The shape of Rob Jones’ basketball career is a full circle.

Jones, 33, has joined the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team as an assistant coach. Jones succeeds Mike Thomas, a former UH player who resigned as assistant coach two weeks ago.

“One of the decisions coming here was to work with Eran Ganot,” Jones said of the Rainbow Warriors’ eighth-year head coach. “I played for Eran Ganot at Saint Mary’s. I wanted to work with him, come full circle, and make an impact on these players, these young men, and try to win some championships. That’s what we did at Saint Mary’s.”

Jones had multiple duties as a UC Riverside assistant coach last season. Jones worked with 7-foot-1, 295-pound Callum McRae, who was the rim protector in the Highlanders’ defense. At UH, Jones will coach the posts and wings, as well as have roles in recruiting, rebounding, defense, scouting, and practice and game organizing.

At the University of San Diego, Jones was part of the 2008 team that upset fourth-seeded Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament. He then transferred to Saint Mary’s, where he twice was named to the All-West Coast Conference’s first team.

While he went on to play professionally for four years in Europe, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, it was a foot injury that led him to a new career.

“Once I got to Australia and. broke my foot, that was the out for me,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be a coach after leaving Saint Mary’s as a player. I thought it was so cool the impact they have on young people’s lives.”

He said that was evident after he transferred from USD. He said Saint Mary’s coaches helped develop “me into the young man I am today.”

Jones returned to Saint Mary’s as a graduate assistant and then director of player development. In the latter job, he also helped with fundraising and marketing. “I was wearing a bunch of different hats there,” he said.

At UCR, he was able to recruit. He was successful in the Bay Area — he grew up in San Francisco and attended Archbishop Riordan High — and established contacts in Southern California. “I love recruiting, and getting to know the players,” he said.

After Thomas resigned, UH requested — and received — permission to discuss the opening with Jones. While accepting the UH offer, Jones, a self-styled “players’ coach,” acknowledged the difficulty in leaving UCR players. “I definitely built some strong bonds over there,” he said.

Jones; his wife, Nicole; and their 9-month-old daughter, Skye, arrived in town Wednesday. Jones said he looks forward to creating new bonds with the ’Bows. “I want to build some trust and relationships with those guys so I can be able to coach them and help them win,” he said.