The NBA kicked off the G League Draft on Saturday, where numerous athletes were selected to G League teams for the 2025-26 season. With the No. 1 overall pick, the South Bay Lakers, the affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, selected a former first-round pick from the 2024 NBA Draft.
Reports indicate that the franchise acquired Dillon Jones, who was the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, with the first selection of the G League Draft. Jones was originally picked by the Washington Wizards but was immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he won a championship.
“Former NBA first-round pick and NBA champion Dillon Jones goes No. 1 overall to the South Bay Lakers in the 2025 NBA G League Draft!”
The soon-to-be 24-year-old forward played 54 games for the Thunder during the 2024-25 campaign. He finished that season averaging 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 38.3% from the field and 25.4% from beyond the three-point line.
Jones will join the Lakers' G League affiliate, where the league begins its Tip-Off Tournament in early November. He'll then have the opportunity to showcase his skills in the 36-game regular season that begins in mid-December. If Dillon Jones plays well enough, there is a chance he could earn a two-way contract.
In the meantime, the Lakers are 1-1 to begin the season after earning their first victory in a 128-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Los Angeles will be back in action on Sunday when the club faces off against the 1-1 Sacramento Kings. LeBron James has yet to make his season debut, as he continues to struggle with sciatica.
