Former Barton star Lajae Jones drafted by Warriors at No. 54

Lajae Jones’ rise from Barton Community College to the NBA became official when the Golden State Warriors selected him with the 54th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. The choice gave Barton its fourth player drafted into the NBA and added another former junior-college standout to Golden State’s rookie class.

Jones’ Barton resume is the kind that still resonates across NJCAA basketball. In one season with the Cougars in Great Bend, Kansas, he helped push Barton to a 36-1 record and the 2024 NJCAA Division I national championship. He also earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors, a postseason run that turned a strong JUCO season into a pro-level calling card.

That single year at Barton became the pivot point in a winding college path. Jones began at Tarleton State in 2023, transferred to Barton in 2024 and later moved on to St. Bonaventure in 2025 before hearing his name called by Golden State. The trajectory underscores how quickly a player can rise when a junior-college stop produces title production, individual hardware and steady exposure against top competition.

For Barton, the draft pick is more than another alumni note. The Cougars have long sold development, and Jones gave that pitch measurable proof: one season, one national title, one tournament MVP and now a second-round NBA selection. For NJCAA coaches, it is a clean example of what the level can still do for a player who is ready to produce immediately.

Golden State’s decision also fit a roster need. The Warriors used the No. 54 pick to add wing depth as the franchise opened the Luke Loucks era, and Jones arrived with a background that mixed junior-college dominance and Division I experience. That combination matters in the NBA draft, where second-rounders often have to prove they can fill a role quickly.

For the NJCAA, Jones’ selection is another high-profile reminder that the junior-college route can still lead to the league’s biggest stage when production, timing and opportunity line up.