A lot of people have a Myles Jones theory. Usually it revolves around: 1) what makes him so dangerous, 2) why they like/dislike him, 3) if he has a shot at the Tewaaraton this year, or 4) how good he could potentially be in Major League Lacrosse…
In summation, those theories amount to: 1) lots of stuff, 2) I don’t really care, 3) if Duke does well, he does, and 4) Very.
My personal Myles Jones Theory has a lot to do with all four of those things, but it’s not about any one of them specifically, and it’s a whole lot crazier than anything presented so far. It also involves Jones sitting out of the upcoming MLL season in 2016.
This theory will take some patience, and a hefty amount of willingness to think differently, on top of accepting some questionable assumptions, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. Oh, and it will also require a TON of serendipity to come true. It’s such a slim shot that I hope Myles Jones never even reads this post. It’s that crazy.
Ok, enough build up, let’s get to it.
Myles Jones Theory 101
Why am I assuming Jones would sit out MLL 2016?
Under the laws of my theory, Jones would have another goal in mind before he could play MLL, and that would be to enroll in Duke again next year, and make Duke’s legendary basketball team. Is this even possible? I don’t know, but it sure is tantalizing. Duke’s basketball team is obviously still highly elite, but I’m not so sure they couldn’t use another hard-working, athletic, and tough player to do the dirty work and be an emotional leader.
Jones happens to be a pretty solid basketball player, and he has size and athleticism to compete. What he has to his true advantage is the experience of playing FOUR YEARS of D1 men’s lacrosse. No other NCAA D1 basketball player has that kind of toughness. He is becoming more accustomed to being “the guy” now, and has shown he can also play other roles in past years. He is athletically diverse, and his game IQ is continuing to climb, even though it’s currently about as high as it gets in the college game.
While Myles Jones may not have been a Duke caliber basketball recruit out of high school, he just might be after his lacrosse career is over. His experience last year as a Tewaaraton contender showed him how to deal with pressure. This year, that pressure has only increased, and Jones continues to rise to the occasion. When you do as much as Jones is expected to do, and you still deliver, you’ve proven you can handle the pressure. Duke is a good lacrosse team, but Jones makes them a totally different monster and challenge.
With that kind of experience, Jones could be reasonably well-prepared for a run at making Duke’s basketball team. Does this even have a shot at happening? It’s WAY too early to even talk about it seriously, but a lacrosse guy can dream, can’t he? Follow on, this insane theory gets better.
We would have to assume that Jones spends the next Summer playing a lot of basketball. He finds a great coach who helps him get back into the speed of the court and playing at the D1 level. He makes the team at Duke next year (a spot magically opens up – serendipity!), Coach K needs an emotional worker, and over the course of the season, he finds ways to earn some minutes. With Jones supporting, and the other Blue Devils clicking, Duke has a great season, builds some hype, and enters March Madness with a shot at the title.
Now, the stage is set for potential adversity, or greatness. It’s the kind of moment sports networks pray for quietly. Maybe a star gets injured, and Jones’ minutes begin to spike. He hits a shot to beat Michigan State in OT on the weekend anniversary of his 11 point performance against UNC on the lacrosse field. ESPN pumps the story of a lacrosse player who found the game of basketball all over again, and then the NBA comes calling because the story is just too potent to ignore. A 12th man spot on a struggling team? Why not? Everyone has to sell tickets!
So, Jones makes an NBA team, and is low on the roster, earning that 12th man spot. His hunger for involvement, and contact, eats away at him. He asks his coach if he can play pro lacrosse during the Summers as long as it doesn’t conflict with the basketball stuff. The coach’s son plays lacrosse (serendipity!), and convinces his dad to say yes. Eventually he earns more minutes on the court, and continues to play MLL.
Jones then becomes the first two-sport professional athlete that EVERYONE knows about since Deion Sanders and lacrosse becomes more popular and respected amongst the general sporting community. Oh, and Nike signs him and pumps the heck out of him as the next Bo Jackson. Bo knows Myles, etc.
A pro football player, like, I don’t know… Chris Hogan… then decides to do the same thing, and all of a sudden lacrosse is everywhere. Interest in the sport from the football and basketball communities increases, and boom, we’re in serious business. Lacrosse becomes mainstream, and the deal is done.
See I told you this was crazy… And I TOLD YOU I didn’t want Myles Jones reading this! Why did you share it with him? Stop tagging people on social media, you kids.
Obviously the chances of this happening are next to zero, and it’s way too much pressure for any college kid to handle. So Myles, if someone DID tell you to read this, and then you did, I am SORRY. I don’t mean to put this on your shoulders. It’s just if anyone could do it, I think it’s going to be you. No pressure though, seriously. Go play MLL and have fun, I don’t know what I was thinking.
Or…
