By Donna Lampkin Stephens

Marvin Delph knows a thing or two about basketball.
The former Arkansas Razorback, one of the famed “Triplets” of the late 1970s, says fundamentals are the key to the game.

“You’ve got to learn the ABCs before you write sentences,” Delph said.
So when he was looking for someone to reiterate those fundamentals for his oldest son, Micah, now a sophomore at Conway High, he turned to Theodore Jones III of Conway — “Coach TJ” — and Jones’ Nothing But Net basketball program.
“He teaches them how to play the game,” Delph said. “TJ has done a great job with Micah. He really has a gift and a unique skill in terms of getting these young guys and young ladies and bringing out the best in them.
“Sometimes fundamentals can be kind of tedious and not all that exciting, but he does it in such a way that he makes them want to do it.”
Jones, 29, is a son of Theodore Jones Jr., a well-known post office employee and Conway alderman and the grandson of the late Theodore Jones Sr., a prominent educator for whom one of the Conway elementary schools is named.
TJ graduated from Conway High in 1997 where he played basketball, earning all-conference honors on Joe Graham’s teams. He walked on at Central Baptist College, where he played two years, and then earned a scholarship to Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, where he played for Mike Reynolds. He finished his degree in health education at the University of Central Arkansas in 2004.
He had a few invitations to professional camps, but he had married his high school sweetheart, Chassie, and he decided not to pursue the game professionally.
“I said I’d rather do the coaching instead of always having to be in shape,” he said, chuckling.
He works as an independent insurance adjuster now but soothed that coaching bug with AAU teams and the old minor league Arkansas Arch Angels. In 2001, former UCA basketball coach Charles Hervey asked him to work with one of the Bear point guards, and he found his niche with the one-on-one teaching. Since 2004, he’s operated his basketball consulting business working with clients from all over the 501.
He hopes someday to be able to do it full time.
“I have some kids from Little Rock, from Vilonia, Greenbrier and Conway,” Jones said. “I’ve done some training in Dallas. I have some that I see on a regular basis, once a week or so, pretty much year-round, and I have a young girl I’ve been training for three summers. You can tell the difference with the kids who come on a regular basis and the ones that are hit-and-miss.
“During the summer it really gets pretty busy. Once basketball season starts, we take off some, but I still have some clients I meet with on a regular basis. If someone calls me today and wants to set something up for next weekend, we’ll set something up.”
He tailors workouts for the client and the season, saying in-season workouts have to be different from off-season.
His core clientele is about sixth grade through junior high.
“I’m starting to see more high school kids interested,” he said. “Parents call and say, ‘My kid is in sixth grade and needs a lot of fundamental work.’ And fundamentals are the same for the fifth-grader or for the college player. The drills and the emphasis may be a little different, the intensity may be different, but altogether we’re still working on fundamentals.”
His Web site, www.nothingbutnetbball.com, details skill development options for individuals, partners, small groups and teams; shooting development, workshops and drills and tips. Prices and other information are available there.
Jones said his overall goal is reflected in the organization’s name: “Nothing But Net/Where fundamentals are key!”
“When I was playing, my dad always stressed how you have to work hard and know the game and the fundamentals,” he said. “I feel like if I can teach these kids the fundamentals and teach them the correct way, it will help them down the road. Some may be able to play in college and some past college; I just try to help them be the best player they can be and reach their potential.
“I don’t make any promises to parents about playing time or scoring average. I tell them they will get better from practicing and learning the game the correct way. But one thing I can say, I really lay more of a foundation. I may get a kid one day out of the week, which is really not enough, but from what we do, they should be able to take that and learn from it the other six days out of the week.”
According to the Web site, the program emphasizes footwork, agility, quickness, defense and knowledge of the game.
Delph agreed that work on such fundamentals as free throw shooting is often overlooked for the glamour of the long 3-pointer or the slam dunk.
“He teaches them how to play the game,” Delph said. “He teaches them that there’s going to be more two-point buckets scored in the game than 3s, and they really need to learn how to master the two-point shot.”
Jones said his current client list includes more girls than boys. Among that number is Sydney Smith, a Greenbrier seventh-grader who has worked with him for nearly three years.
“I think it’s more of an ego thing,” he said. “The girls are very attentive. Everyone pays attention, but I think with girls they don’t have as much of an ego.”
One girl who isn’t a client yet is his daughter Nakeia, 4.
“She told me she doesn’t like basketball,” he said, chuckling. “I think it may change, but she told me the other day she’s afraid the ball’s going to hit her in the head. I don’t know where she got that from.”
In addition to the individual workouts, Jones is often at a high school or junior high game to watch his clients play.
“That gives me a chance to see what we’re doing in practice and how it’s helping or how we need to improve,” he said. “Watching games helps out an awful lot. When we get ready to meet again, I can put together workouts, a couple of drills to help. When I see something in the game, I can remember it.”
But he in no way tries to get between player and coach.
“I try not to get too much involved with the player and their team,” he said. “I’ll go to the game and maybe see we need to work on ballhandling against pressure, but if it’s an issue of not getting to play, I don’t get involved. I may give them some tips on how they can get open more, which should help with their playing time.”
He said he gets more joy out of the individual work of NBN than he would out of coaching a team.
“All I have to do is make sure I’m teaching the kids the right way, put them through workouts and help them get better,” he said. “If the Lord eventually blesses me to do this full time, that’s what I’d love to do.”
For now, though, NBN is a one-man operation. He is coach, tax man, advertising expert and Web designer.
Delph said although his son listens to him, the message is amplified coming from someone such as Jones.
“It’s always helpful when he can hear the same thing from someone else,” Delph said. “It just seems to be, not really more convincing, but more helpful and more profitable when he can hear it from someone else.”
For more information about Nothing But Net Basketball, contact Jones at 501.733.3376 or [email protected].