Armenia national team leader Chris Jones joins Hapoel Tel Aviv

One of the key players of the Armenian national basketball team, Chris Jones, has signed a contract with Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv, according to the club’s official page. The 32-year-old naturalized Armenian guard will spend at least one season with his new team.

Over the past three years, Jones played for Valencia in Spain, reaching the ACB League final and the EuroCup semifinal. Last season, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in the EuroCup, and 11.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in the ACB League — all in just 19.5 minutes per game.

“I’m proud to join a great club like Hapoel. It’s an honor to play in front of such passionate fans. I’m grateful for the opportunity and ready to give my all for the team’s success,” Jones said after signing.

Hapoel Tel Aviv’s head coach Dimitris Itoudis also commented: “Chris brings intelligence, experience, and leadership. He knows how to control the pace and make the right decisions under pressure. We’re excited to start working with him.”

Jones previously played for Bursaspor (Turkey), Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel), ASVEL Villeurbanne (France), and Valencia (Spain). In four EuroLeague seasons, he posted consistent numbers: 11.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.

The upcoming season will be Hapoel’s debut in the EuroLeague, and the club sees Jones as a leader in the battle against Europe’s top teams.

Born in the United States, Jones received Armenian citizenship and helped the national team defeat Albania in the 2025 World Cup pre-qualifier. He scored 34 points in that game — the most of any player. Overall, he played four games in the World Cup 2027 qualifiers, averaging 27 points per game.