Charles Jones (basketball, born 1957)

Charles "Gadget" Jones (born April 3, 1957) is an American retired professional basketball player.

Although a raw offensive player, he possessed shot-blocking ability.

Basketball career

A 6'9" forward–center from Albany State University, Jones was selected 165th overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns, arriving in the league four years later. He played in 15 seasons with five teams: the Philadelphia 76ers, the Chicago Bulls, the Washington Bullets, the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets.

Jones played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for the Maine Lumberjacks during the 1979–80 and 1982–83 seasons, Bay State Bombardiers during the 1983–84 season and the Tampa Bay Thrillers during the 1984–85 season. He was selected to the All-CBA Second Team in 1984, All-Defensive First Team in 1983 and 1984, and All-Defensive Second Team in 1985.

Jones won an NBA Championship with the Rockets in 1995, appearing in 19 out of 22 postseason contests. He retired three seasons later with career averages of 2.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. His biggest scoring output came on January 8, 1986: 17 points against the team who drafted him, the Suns. Four years later, against the Orlando Magic, Jones blocked a career-best 10 shots, in 49 minutes.

Jones played four minutes in his final NBA game on May 3, 1998; Jones, having done so aged 41 years and 30 days, stands as the 11th oldest player in NBA history.