Wil Jones was a 6’ 8” forward who was picked in the fifth round of the 1969 NBA Draft by the L.A. Lakers and also was taken by the Miami Floridians in the 1969 ABA Draft. He wound up playing seven seasons (1969-76) in the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a member of the Miami Floridians Memphis Pros Memphis Tams and Kentucky Colonels before eventually making it to the NBA where he played for both the Indiana Pacers and Buffalo Braves. He was selected to the ABA’s 1975 All Defensive First Team.

This lot features Jones’ game-worn road uniform while playing for the Tams circa 1972-74 a team that lasted just two seasons in the league and which got its name from its fan base which covered Tennessee Arkansas and Mississippi. On the front right tail of the green jersey is the “Rawlings” (Mark of a Pro) manufacturer’s tag with size “44” and washing instructions. Across the front reads “MEMPHIS” in yellow on green tackle twill with his uniform number “11” appearing in similar tackle twill fashion right below it. Across the back in semi-circular fashion is “JONES” with uniform number “11” appearing below it in similar tackle twill fashion. Two small holes in the fabric one on the front and one on the back do exist but it displays superbly. The accompanying green shorts trimmed in yellow which show heavy wear include the “Rawlings” manufacturer’s tag with size “34” and washing instructions on the inside rear waistband. A green swatch with “11” chain-stitched in white appears next to the Rawlings tag. This uniform represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the serious basketball collector who focuses on aged extremely rare pieces.