Real Madrid Signs NBA Center Damian Jones on One-Year Deal

Real Madrid have moved decisively in the frontcourt market, signing former NBA center Damian Jones to a one-year deal, the club confirmed in a statement.

It is a significant move for both sides. For Madrid, it is another bet on proven size and athleticism. For Jones, it is a fresh chapter at one of Europe’s true heavyweights after almost a decade of bouncing across leagues and continents.

A first-round pick in 2016, taken 30th overall, Jones broke into the league with the Golden State Warriors and collected two championship rings in his first two seasons. He never became a star in the NBA, but he carved out a role: rim-running, shot-blocking, finishing plays others created. Over eight seasons, he pulled on jerseys for several franchises, most recently the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2023/24 campaign.

Then his career path bent away from the spotlight.

Jones, now 31, has spent most of the last two years in China with Zhejiang Golden Bulls, trading the nightly grind of the NBA for the volume and tempo of the CBA. The move did not push him out of contention; it sharpened his status as a reliable interior presence. He added another line to his résumé this year by helping Vaqueros de Bayamon to a title in Puerto Rico, proving he can anchor a winning team in very different environments.

Now comes Madrid.

The EuroLeague giants know exactly what they are getting: a seasoned big man with championship habits, used to pressure, used to locker rooms full of stars. Jones, for his part, walks into a club where expectations are non-negotiable and trophies are the currency.

After China, Puerto Rico and a final NBA stop in Cleveland, his next test is clear: can he turn that journeyman experience into a central role in the EuroLeague’s fiercest battles?