Get to Know Seth Jones, NHL Hopeful
The 18-year-old is blazing a path in the hockey world.
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A Bright Future - Seth Jones is being eyed as the No. 1 pick for the 2013 NHL Draft on June 30, a position that would also make the 18-year-old the first No. 1 African-American pick in the league. Keep reading for a look at his journey so far. — Britt Middleton (Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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Early Life - Jones was born in Arlington, Texas, on Oct. 3, 1994. He currently plays defenseman for the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League. (Photo: Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
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Famous Family - He is the son of Ronald "Popeye" Jones, who played in the NBA from 1993 until 2004. Ronald Jones is currently an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets. (Photos from Left to Right: Mike Stobe/Getty Images, Chris Chambers/Getty Images)
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Carving His Own Path - Despite his father's hoop skills, Jones says he was never pushed into any particular sport. In a recent interview with USA Today, Jones said, "I'm grateful that I had a dad who let me do what I like to do." (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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Start in Hockey - Jones took up hockey at a young age when his family was living in Denver, Colorado, while his father played for the Denver Nuggets. He has said his childhood friends pushed him to try out the sport, and he's never looked back.(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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Amateur Career and Awards - At 12, Jones ventured into organized hockey and joined the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) and played for the Dallas Stars Bantam Major team. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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International Stage - Of his biggest international showings, Jones helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships. The team again took home the gold medal the following year. Jones' honors include being named player of the game in the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge championship game. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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Getting Noticed - Buzz surrounding Jones started to intensify following the All-American Prospects game last September. Playing for Team McClanahan, Jones helped lead the team to a 5-2 victory over Team Housley. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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Critical Praise - Nashville Predators general manager David Poile is one of many who have pegged Jones as the NHL's next star, calling Jones, known for his smooth skating and offensive abilities, "the whole package" and "the best player in the draft." (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)