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United States James Jones has established a legacy as the all-time winningest men's basketball coach at Yale and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history, guiding the program to numerous championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.
Jones gained experience with USA Basketball, serving as an assistant coach for the United States team that captured the gold medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup for men in Riga, Latvia. He also served as an assistant coach for the 2007 USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Team.
Jones was selected for an ad hoc committee on NCAA men's basketball tournament selection, seeding and bracketing in June 2016 and was named to the NABC Board of Directors.
Jones has shared his insight with college basketball fans, serving as a guest analyst on the CBS College Sports Television Network on numerous occasions.
James Jones was appointed Yale’s head coach on April 27, 1999, embarking on a tenure that has solidified his position as a prominent figure in collegiate basketball. Entering his 27th year in the 2025-26 season, he has accumulated 418 career victories, placing him second all-time in Ivy League history. His 225 Ivy League wins also rank him second in the league. Under his leadership, Yale has secured seven Ivy League championships (2002, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2025), four Ivy League Tournament titles (2019, 2022, 2024, 2025), and five NCAA Tournament berths (2016, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025), alongside nine total postseason appearances. He was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jones’ coaching career includes significant milestones, such as leading Yale to its first Ivy League title since 1962-63 in the 2001-02 season, culminating in a 21-11 record and securing the program’s first postseason tournament victory by upsetting Rutgers in the NIT first round. The 2015-16 season marked a historic achievement, with Yale winning 23 games, capturing a second consecutive Ivy League title, and earning an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time in 54 years. During this tournament, Yale upset Baylor, marking the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. In the 2023-24 season, Jones again led Yale to an NCAA Tournament win, defeating Auburn 78-76. His impact extends to player development, having mentored professionals like Miye Oni, who became the first Ivy Leaguer drafted into the NBA since 1995 when selected 58th overall in 2019. Under Jones, Yale players have earned numerous accolades, including five Ivy League Player of the Year awards, five Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year awards, and one Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.
Beyond the court, Jones has been recognized with the 2019 Ben Jobe Award for the top minority coach in Division I men’s basketball, and he is a four-time Ivy League Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2020, 2023). He has also received the NABC District 13 Coach of the Year three times. His active involvement in the New Haven community is evident through the James Jones Bulldog Basketball Camp and recognition with the President’s Award from the Greater New Haven NAACP in 2002 and the Polly Sweeten Excellence in Sports Award in 2019. Jones has also contributed to USA Basketball, serving as an assistant coach for the U19 Men’s World Cup team that won gold in 2021 and for the 2007 USA Men’s Pan American Games Team.
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