Two days ago, UCLA stunned the college basketball world by ending the reigning champion South Carolina’s 43-game win streak. As Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks struggled to recover from their first loss since they faced Caitlin Clark and Co. in the 2023 Final Four, Londynn Jones a 5 foot 4 guard from UCLA took center stage, as she scored a dominating 15 points, which included a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

In fact, her performance was so dominant that it helped the fifth-ranked Bruins get the better of the top-ranked Gamecocks 77-62. Hence, it is only understandable why everyone wants to know who this stellar standout is.

Londynn Jones: A new college sensation in the making?

Born to Tony and Alesia Jones in a family of athletes, Londynn Jones hails from Riverside, California. She has two older sisters, Paris and Dalis, who both played Division I college basketball. Making her the third kid in the family to play at this stage.

The 5-ft-4 point guard, known for her creativity, scoring ability, and leadership has established herself as one of the Pac-12’s most dynamic and exciting players. Hence, we can see why she attained a 22 overall ranking with 4 stars by ESPN in the class of 2022. Currently, in her junior year, having started in 3 of 5 games she played, she is averaging 9.2 points with 29.8% from the field and over 36% from beyond the arc. As part of the Bruins family for three years now, Jones has averaged 10.2 points with 36% shooting from both the field and the 3-point line.

Her on-court fame has also translated into multiple deals, like with MarketPryce and In The Lab+, in the world of NIL. According to the latest NIL data, Jones ranks 231 in the college women’s basketball NIL rankings, with a significant following on TikTok (@londeeezy) where she boasts a total of 3.6K followers, which makes up for 87% of her online fanbase. On X (@LondynnThaCutie), she has another 540 followers.

On the court, Jones has already achieved remarkable milestones. One of the most memorable ones was the single-season record for three-pointers made (87), which she set in her sophomore year to break the previous mark of 77 set by Kari Korver in 2016-17. Her shooting prowess from beyond the arc has continually made her a standout and has helped her to lead the Pac-12 in three-pointers made while shooting 36.6% from the deep.

In fact, this has made her a prolific scorer, this was noted in her performance last season where Jones played 34 games, starting 29 of them, while averaging 11.8 points per game and making 1 steal per game throughout the season. However, her top highlight came against Utah in February where she had a 22-point game and scored 7-10 from beyond the arc proving her ability to take over the game.

Her freshman year was also impressive as she appeared in all 37 games while averaging 8.6 points per game and scoring in double figures 16 times. She had a breakout Pac-12 season, scoring 250 of her 317 points in conference games. This earned her Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors and spots on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.

From Riverside to the National stage: The rise of Londynn Jones

But before she made a name for herself at UCLA, Jones was already a standout at Centennial High School in Riverside. In fact, she amassed an impressive 2,713 points in high school, which led her team to the CIFSS Division III state title, and won the 2019 Wooden Award for Girls’ High School Player of the Year.

Across her junior and senior years of high school, Jones showcased consistent dominance. She averaged 23.4 points per game while adding 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 3.7 steals per contest. Her senior season was particularly remarkable, with Jones tallying 25.2 points per game, this earned her a Jordan Brand All-American after her senior season.

However, that was just the beginning as Londynn continued to prove her scoring prowess by getting second place in the He Gets Us 3-Point Championship at the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships.

Beyond high school, she has also represented the United States on the international stage, by helping the 2022 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team secure a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.

While her basketball accomplishments are undoubtedly impressive, Jones also enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and watching movies. A self-professed beauty enthusiast, Jones says she can apply eyelashes at a professional level according to her UCLA profile.

Her talent is not limited to just basketball though; she is also pursuing a business degree at UCLA, with plans to play professionally while eventually owning her own business.

Jones’ commitment to her craft and her ambition off the court reflect her strong work ethic and determination which are early markers of career success. According to the Bruins star, she chose UCLA because it was “always [her] dream school,”

“I have chosen to make the best decision for me and I have decided to stay home. Go Bruins! My mom always said, create my own journey and remember the best gift that you can give yourself is knowing who you are and once you understand who you are, you understand what you deserve. It’s god’s plan and my plan too, ” mentioned No. 3.

Hence, it’s no surprise that Jones finds herself as one of the most coveted young players in college basketball. In fact, her high levels of conscientiousness coupled with her impeccable scoring ability, court vision, and leadership have made her a force to be reckoned with.