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Days after entering the transfer portal and then withdrawing two hours later, Sun Belt Player of the Year DeVante' Jones told ESPN he will leave Coastal Carolina and plans to transfer. Jones, a 6-foot-1 guard, has also entered his name into the NBA draft. "I would like to start by apologizing for any confusion I have caused by entering the transfer portal and then withdrawing my name from the portal," Jones said. "This was simply a miscommunication between myself and the coaching staff at Coastal Carolina. This decision wasn't made lightly but it is the right decision for me at this time. I love Coastal Carolina and will always cherish my time as a Chanticleer. "I just want to explore all of my opportunities and have the chance to showcase my abilities on a bigger platform. I have worked hard as a student-athlete at CCU and will be graduating in May. For these reasons, coupled with a coach advancing his career by taking a job at a different institution, I have officially decided to re-enter the transfer portal. With that being said, I still will be following my dreams of playing in the NBA as my first option; thank you Teal nation!" Jones has been one of the best players in the Sun Belt Conference the last three seasons, and one of the most productive mid-major players in the country. He won Sun Belt Player of the Year honors this past season after averaging 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals, while shooting 36.8% from 3-point range. As a sophomore, Jones earned second-team All-Sun Belt honors; he was Freshman of the Year back in 2018-19. The New Orleans native is one of five conference players of the year to enter the portal this spring, joining Toledo's Marreon Jackson (MAC), Yale's Paul Atkinson (Ivy), Eastern Washington's Tanner Groves (Big Sky) and Sam Houston State's Zach Nutall (Southland). He immediately becomes one of the best available transfers. "In my next school, I'm looking to join a winning culture with a loving community," Jones said. "I'll only have one year so I just want the chance for a coach to trust in me to put the ball in my hands and trust me to make game-winning plays. But also, I want to be around a group of guys who love the game as much as me, if not more."
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