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Jim Chones Basketball player

James Bernett Chones (born November 30, 1949 in Racine, Wisconsin) is an American former professional basketball player, and current radio analyst for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A 6'11" forward/center, Chones starred at Marquette University, where he earned All-America honors as a junior in 1972 after averaging 20.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. When he left Marquette to pursue an NBA career, he was only the second player in NCAA history to leave school for the NBA, before his graduating year. Professionally, he first played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and later in the National Basketball Association. Chones won an NBA Championship as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980, and he retired from basketball in 1982 with combined ABA/NBA totals of 9,821 points and 6,427 rebounds. After retiring from the NBA, Chones spent eleven seasons as the television color analyst for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and in 2007, returned as a radio postgame analyst. Thirty-five years after leaving Marquette, Chones returned to earn his degree in Philosophy. He was inducted into the Marquette University Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Cleveland Sports Commission Hall of Fame in 2006. In addition to his broadcasting duties with the Cavaliers, Chones has been an occasional color analyst for the Milwaukee Bucks. During the 2010-2011 season, usual Cavs radio voice Joe Tait missed much of the season as he recovered from surgery/illness. During that time, Chones and WTAM morning co-host/sports director and Cavs pregame/postgame host Mike Snyder formed the interim radio play by play team. Chones became a fulltime member of the radio team for the 2011-2012 season, working with new play by play announcer John Michael.