It is hard for Spencer Jones not to chuckle when he pauses to consider what his 10-year-old self would think of his life today. The 24-year-old is now a certified NBA starter, yet the concept of life in the league didn't even cross his mind until late in his college career. There was no red carpet, no televised Draft Day call, and no guarantee of success with the Grand Rapids Gold. Instead, the Roeland Park, Kansas native arrived with the Denver Nuggets via a path paved with commercial flights, G-League bus rides, and a relentless focus on the work others avoided.
Now in his second season with the Nuggets, Jones has appeared in 19 games with eight starts, carving out a vital niche on a true title contender. These successes are not built on flash, but on a realization he had as an upperclassman at Stanford. The mantra was simple, Jones told ClutchPoints.
“Trust the process,” Jones laughed. “I didn't know until late in my college career that I even had a chance to make it here. From then on, I got here by doing the dirty work and other overlooked stuff that other guys don't really focus on. Defense is the main reason I'm getting a lot of minutes, so although I was allowed to do stuff offensively in college (Stanford), doing things that other guys don't want to do is where I find opportunity.”
Drawing inspiration from sidekick legends, the 6-foot-7 swingman is a blueprint for aspiring pros navigating the league's less glamorous pathways. Jones recognized early that on a roster featuring offensive juggernauts in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets did not need another primary scorer; they needed a shield.
“I really embraced the 3-and-D role early in my career and always watched players who were in that situation,” explained Jones. “Guys like Klay Thompson, Tony Allen with Memphis. It works on a team like this, where we are so prolific on offense, defense is the next step when it comes to competing for ‘chips. That's where I can come in and give the most help, get a chance at a ring.”
Winning those NBA minutes started with surviving the relentless grind of the G-League.
Nuggets unearth gemstone
Last season, Jones bounced between the Nuggets and the Grand Rapids Gold nine times, enduring the physical and mental toll of constant travel and uncertainty.
“It takes a lot, especially playing mostly in the G-League last year. It's tough bouncing up and down like nine times,” Jones joked. “My first opportunity came on a back-to-back with the G-League, then I was flown up here (to the Nuggets). That was the first real shot.”
That one moment mattered as a personal accomplishment, yet what came after mattered more for career staying power.
“Then it was all about not worrying about if I'm up in the NBA or down in the G, it's more about taking things slow,” noted Jones. “It's a long season, 82 games give people plenty of shots. You'll get your opportunity if you're staying ready.”
Jones didn’t just stay ready, he stayed committed. Grand Rapids became more than an assignment; it became a lab. That freedom to fail with the Grand Rapids Gold creates pressure-tested players ready for high-stakes moments. Jones understands the difference between developing in the minors and performing for a franchise with championship expectations.
“Grand Rapids is a great place to build yourself up. You go there, you're getting an opportunity to develop, to get better,” Jones stressed. “You're not sitting around, just on the bench. Everything is about being up, learning, and implementing what they're doing in Denver. And you'll make mistakes while learning. You're supposed to make mistakes in the G-League.”
The Nuggets did not make many mistakes developing their newest starter.
Spencer Jones soldiers on
An opportunity to learn, stumble, and improve without the weight of playoff expectations is something Jones will never take for granted.
“With the Nuggets, with any winning team, you don't have the luxury to make mistakes because you're trying to win as many games as possible for the playoffs,” Jones added. “Going down to the G-League and embracing the fact that you can go make those mistakes there means you'll be ready to contribute when you get to an NBA situation.”
Two-way players do not qualify for postseason rosters, but that's not anything Jones can worry about right now. The front office will make the best decision for the organization's championship aims. Still, Jones moves with the calm certainty of someone who long ago accepted that his path would be slower, heavier, more demanding. From late-blooming college prospect to defensive specialist on a title contender, he has built his NBA dream one possession, one shuttle flight, one opportunity at a time.
All signs point to a guaranteed, standard, NBA Playoffs-eligible contract coming soon enough; just do not mention that too loudly in the locker room. So when he thinks back to that 10-year-old kid who hadn't yet imagined this life, Spencer Jones can't help but smile. The journey wasn't what he expected, but it's exactly what he needed to gain a better perspective on what truly matters: the process and relationships built along the way.
