Lajae Jones competes at 2026 NBA Summer League

As the 54th Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Lajae Jones was given the opportunity to make his professional basketball dreams come true when he was selected by the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were the most recent basketball dynasty winning four NBA championships between 2015 and 2022. Not only are they one of the most prestigious NBA franchises, but their standards for competition are high, and Lajae Jones had to make an immediate impact to showcase his talents to the organization. Luckily, he was able to do that, winning the 2026 NBA Summer League. 

The 6”7 small forward averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds during their championship push, culminating in a 94-90 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. The former Florida State Seminole is currently thriving in his adjustment to professional basketball, and it makes sense when you learn about his past. 

Jones is a dual-national, having a mother from Israel and a father from the United States. Despite his mixed heritage, he was raised Jewish, Bar Mitzvahed at thirteen years old, and used his Hebrew name “Ari” across his social media. 

Jones becomes one of few NBA players with Israeli heritage, joining current NBA stars Deni Avdija, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf, along with 2-time NBA champion Jordan Farmar, and former Golden State Warrior Omri Casspi.