The Golden State Warriors selected Damian Jones with the No. 30 pick in the first round.
Jones is a 7-foot, 245-pound center from Vanderbilt. He averaged 13.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds as a junior last season. He earned All-Sec honors but was held to 5 points in the Commodores March Madness loss to Wichita State.
GM Bob Myers revealed Jones suffered a pectoral injury during a recent workout that will hold him out for most, if not all of the preseason.
Scouts call him a long, athletic big man, who can run the floor and surprise opponents with his jump shot. Jones hit 59 percent from the field last season as an inside presence. Defensively, he can block shots (1.2 per game) but ESPN’s Jay Bilas and others in the media have criticized his motor.
It’s unclear of the Warriors’ plans for Jones this season. But Festus Ezeli is a a restricted free agent.
Last year the Warriors took power forward Kevon Looney in the first round. He underwent hip surgery shortly after the draft and played sparingly for the Santa Cruz Warriors last season.
The 20-year-old Jones hails from Baton Rouge. The injury will force him to miss playing for Golden State’s summer league team in Las Vegas next month.