He Leads Lakers’ We Generation

Eddie Jones threw a party last month to give free meals and free Christmas trees to 25 needy families. Eddie Jones intends to do much more next Christmas. Eddie Jones is a man of maturity, responsibility and generosity. Eddie Jones is 23 years old.

“I want to do things for the community,” he says.

How many NBA rookies are doing more? I mean, on and off the floor? Eddie Jones has been a Laker for only a few months, but already he is a leader. He belongs to L.A. Lakers, the Next Generation.

Which rookies have had as much impact on the court? Grant Hill, granted. And everyone in Dallas marvels at Jason Kidd’s unselfishness. And then there’s the Wisconsin cash cow, Glenn Robinson, who comes to the Forum tonight. He has personally transformed Milwaukee from a mediocre team into a very mediocre team.

Robinson came to camp thinking Me.

Jones came thinking We.

He came to play ball. Shooting guard, small forward, didn’t matter. Put him out there somewhere and stand back.

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One night in Honolulu, the Lakers played an exhibition against Sacramento. Jones went 15 for 15 from the free-throw line. He clinched the game with a dunk on a fast break.

Four nights into his first NBA season, Jones found himself in Minneapolis. He still hadn’t played a home game. Even his mom still hadn’t seen him play as a pro.

Eddie lit up the Timberwolves for 31 points. And he didn’t play the last 7 1/2 minutes.

That was the day James Worthy announced his retirement. That was the day Showtime officially ended and the Next Generation officially began.

Del Harris, his coach, could see from the beginning that Jones had the makings of something special. That night in Minnesota, though, even Harris saw more than he expected. He said: “The most impressive thing about Eddie is that even with that thin body of his, he’s fearless. A lot of rookies don’t have that. The word is spreading about him.” As it has.

People are taking notice. The Orlando Magic took notice one night when, even while the Lakers were taking a beating, Jones was still out there hustling, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Every day, Eddie improved a little more. He began leading the Lakers in steals. Michael Cooper, to whom Jones has been compared, had said on draft day last summer: “When I met him, I thought I was looking in a mirror.” Suddenly, fans at the Forum thought they were seeing double.

By the time they got to Maryland toward the end of November, Jones was among the league leaders in steals, right up there with Scottie Pippen and Mookie Blaylock and John Stockton. Cooper’s pupil had gone to the head of the class.

Eddie popped for 15 points in an easy victory over the Washington Bullets on Nov. 26. And what did he say when that game was over?

“Believe me, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

The man in purple is no shrinking violet.

Eddie Jones is bursting with youthful vigor and self-confidence. Coach John Chaney refined his game at Temple. He also taught Eddie to maintain a good attitude. And to hurry back on defense as though his house was burning. That was the actual expression Chaney used: “Your house is on fire!”

The Lakers liked what they saw. They took Jones with the 10th choice in the NBA draft. Not since they drafted Worthy had they had such a high pick.

Jerry West, not prone to exaggeration, looked over the kid in Honolulu and said: “I think he’s going to be a great player--not good, but great. He’s got greatness in him.”

Has West changed his mind? Hardly. Just this week, the Laker general manager updated his outlook, saying of Jones: “There are times when you look at him and ask yourself: ‘What rookie is any better?’ For a young player, he does everything.”

Jones keeps adjusting. He helps out at whichever position he’s needed. He is the wrong size for some assignments, but keeps plugging regardless. Jones’ 12-point scoring average ranks fourth on the team. He has made more three-pointers than anyone except Nick Van Exel. He draws dangerous NBA veterans defensively, but doesn’t flinch.

Very much because of Eddie Jones, the Lakers are the surprise team of the league.

“He has long arms, long legs, great reach; he has a great first step, in ways similar to Scottie Pippen,” Harris says of him.

Eddie Jones has a ways to go. But already he has come so far.

“The more I play, the more I’m learning,” he says. “Everything is coming a lot easier to me. The Lakers brought me here for a reason, and that was to play. They didn’t bring me here to watch somebody play.”

He’s a player, all right. A popular one. Eddie gave out 25 Christmas trees to correspond with his jersey number, 25. It won’t be long before kids go around Inglewood playgrounds wearing No. 25.

The new kid in town doesn’t mind the responsibility of replacing Anthony Peeler, or of being doubly vital because of Sedale Threatt’s injury. He likes being out there beside Van Exel, Cedric Ceballos and the rest of L.A.’s Next Generation. Eddie Jones came here to be a Laker, not to be a rookie.

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