Kim English’s new assistant coach Nate Tomlinson has deep ties to Australia and looks like he’s already using those connections to bring international talent to Fairfax. George Mason has landed Australian forward Blakes Jones (6’9″). The lanky shooter had been playing at the NBA Global Academy which is an elite basketball training center in Canberra, Australia and also spent some time playing in the country’s NBL league.

It looks like he has been playing more of a small forward role and has some good shooting range. You’ll notice in the highlight videos he also attacks the basket pretty well. Could he maybe end up as a stretch 4? Looks like a development project that has a high ceiling for Kim English and his staff. This move helps fill the void left by Jordan Miller who will transfer to Miami.

English seems to continue to pick up players that capable of playing at multiple spots and Jones seems like another example of that. If he can shoot well at the college level he’ll have the ability to create a ton of mis-matches at 6’9″ if he can play on the wing. Don’t know where he’s at defensively but that could limit his early minutes here, we’ll have to see how it develops.