Bio

Tony Jones joins the Royals’ coaching staff after a distinguished career across the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, including a six-year tenure on the University of Tennessee staff.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Coach Jones began his coaching journey at his alma mater, Southwestern High School (1986–1991), where he coached future NBA talents. He later served as an assistant at Buffalo (1993–1996), Toledo (1996–2001), and Milwaukee (2001–2005), building a reputation for strong guard development and recruiting acumen.

From 2005 to 2011, Jones was a key member of Bruce Pearl’s Tennessee staff (rising to Associate Head Coach), guiding the Volunteers to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. He also served as interim head coach during an eight-game stretch in conference play, leading UT to five straight SEC wins. After his time at Tennessee, Jones continued his career with stops at Auburn, as well as in the professional ranks as interim head coach of the Windsor Express in Canada. He later joined Oakland University’s coaching staff in 2017, where he continued his work in player development, recruiting, and game preparation.

Returning to Knoxville in 2023, Jones said the opportunity to build something special at Johnson—and being back in East Tennessee—were key motivators for joining the Royals.

Coach Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from Concordia University (Michigan) and is known for his passion for mentoring athletes both on and off the court. He and his wife, Pam, have four children.