The Talented Mr. Jones: Social media star Jesse Jones Jr. drops 42 to continue JSBL heater

MANASQUAN — A decade ago, Jesse Jones Jr. was a college kid with an Instagram account casually making fun videos about his favorite NBA players. Then came the eureka moment that changed everything.

“I was already doing videos on Instagram and I just happened to be recording a video in my room of Steph Curry playing in the finals against the Cavs,” Jones said. “I was recording the video but talking in the background and I’m like, ‘Yo, I might got something here’. Somebody said I should take the audio out and leave my voice. I did that and I was like, (snaps fingers) ’I got it’.”

Eight years later, Jones is a social media sensation with over 3 million followers, including 2.3 million on his main Instagram account (@filayyyy) that features everything from basketball highlights and commentary to his breakdown of a fox juking a hawk and a brutal knockout on Power Slap.

“I first started off doing it with basketball players I loved growing up, that was my inspiration,” Jones said. “It caught a wave and from there I just branded it out, started posting my lifestyle, what I believe in, my goals and inspirations, and it just blew up.”

Jones is a man of many talents, not the least of which is his own prowess on the basketball court. The former Hudson Catholic and University of Bridgeport standout returned to the Jersey Shore Basketball League this season after a one-year hiatus and has been electric in his two games at Manasquan High School. On Tuesday night, Jones dropped 42 points on 16 of 31 shooting with nine three-pointers to help lead Sea View Jeep to a dominant 140-116 victory over RKE Athletic. He added four rebounds and five steals. His good friend and former Monmouth University star Justin Robinson also had 42 points as Sea View led from start to finish to improve to 5-1 and take over sole possession of first place.

Jones last played for Larson Ford but was recruited over to Sea View Jeep by Robinson. The former opponents now form the most potent backcourt in the JSBL. Robinson also scored 42 points versus RKE on Tuesday night.

“I didn’t play last summer but I always wanted to come back down here and show love,” Jones said. “Justin has been asking me to play with him ever since Larson. I always played with Coach Brown so when he retired and I played for the first time without him, it wasn’t the same. Justin is a good guy and he’s been my guy for so long. He said, ‘We’ve been going at each other for so long, when are we going to be on the same team?’. It’s really been that type of vibe all summer. It’s brotherly love. He’s always given me advice as an older guy playing overseas. We have that connection.”

Basketball and business have taken Jones across the globe, but last year was a time for a basketball reset of sorts. He took a break from his professional career after bouncing around the Middle East, Mexico, and Canada since turning pro. His goal is to play in Europe, and he has had contact with a team in North Macedonia where he hopes to be on a roster in September.

“I was in the Middle East for a little bit and it was rough, I’m not gonna lie,” Jones said. “Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, then Mexico — Juarez was crazy — so I was on a little journey for a good three-and-a-half years. A couple of agents said my best bet might be to just sit out and wait for a call from Europe. The Middle East is tough. There’s a lot of bombing between Israel and Palestine and Lebanon is right in the crossfire, so I knew I had to get out of there.”

With a return to professional basketball on the horizon, getting back to the JSBL with a chance to join forces with Robinson was the perfect opportunity.

“I’ve been playing here since I think 2017,” Jones said. “You have people coming down here, taking the drive to the Shore, and just playing hoops and having fun. It’s good to play where the love is there and people know who I am versus people screaming at me in a language I do not understand.”

Jones’s fun, engaging, informative and introspective videos, coupled with his status as a professional basketball player, have helped his brand grow exponentially. He has worked with companies like Oakley, Meta, WhatsApp, and even the NBA. He’s traveled to Greece, hosted a camp in Hong Kong, and later this summer will be traveling to Bermuda for some sightseeing.

Through it all, Jones realized the impact he could have on those viewing his videos, many of whom are aspiring athletes. His videos have always been wholesome, and as his brand has grown, he’s been even more conscious about engaging a certain way.

“When you have a strong influence you have to be mindful of how you carry yourself,” Jones said. “Being a humble, genuine person always gave me an upper hand with branding.”

In his time away from professional basketball, Jones continues to work on his game while also running camps and clinics for youth players. And of course, churning out viral content on Instagram and TikTok. With his business booming and continuing to grow, the next step is to keep his basketball career going in Europe.

“That’s the next thing for me. I’m just waiting for the call,” Jones said. “My management team is building a branding platform for me and I’m setting goals, setting up camps, and doing activations with different brands. And then just getting back outside and playing basketball again. I work hard on my craft.”

When Europe calls back, Jones will be ready. If there’s one thing he knows how to do, it’s take a spark and turn it into a flame. Just like that seminal moment in a dorm room 11 years ago.