Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Golden State Warriors draft pick Lajae Jones will begin his professional career overseas after signing with Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy for the upcoming season.

Golden State selected Jones with the 54th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft following his college career at Florida State.

During his senior season with the Seminoles, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

Jones also earned a spot on the ACC All-Tournament second team after his performance in the 2026 conference tournament.

With limited roster space available in Golden State, Jones will not immediately join the Warriors. Instead, he will continue his development in Italy’s top basketball league with Pallacanestro Trieste.

There had previously been speculation that Golden State could keep Jones in the United States as a domestic draft-and-stash player, allowing him to spend the season developing in the G League.