West Hartford — During his UConn basketball days, Rashamel Jones earned the respect and admiration of his teammates and coaches for being an unselfish team player.

Jones, who scored 2,301 points while starring at Trinity Catholic in Stamford, never complained when his role was reduced, going from starting all 31 games as a sophomore to becoming a role player his last two seasons at UConn.

His only concern was doing what's best for the team.

Jones was rewarded for his efforts, finishing his career with a national championship ring. He was on the court for the final seconds of UConn's historic upset of Duke in the memorable 1999 final.

So what better person to serve as a role model as an assistant coach for a first-year Division III men's basketball program? That's exactly what Jim Calhoun thought when deciding to add Jones to his staff at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford.

"He'd do anything to help his team win," Calhoun said. "He was a great sixth man, a great captain. He was the perfect guy. And he's passing that along to the kids how important that is, whatever your role, to be the best at what you do. He's a pretty special guy."

Saint Joseph recently completed a highly-successful first season, finishing 16-12 and reaching the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament final.

Jones talked about his coaching experience in a recent conversation. He enjoys the challenge that comes with working with a first-year team filled with mostly freshmen.

"I love this," he said. "Now I can see why coach (Calhoun) has done this for 40-plus years. My high school coach, coach (Mike) Walsh, just retired after 39 years of coaching. I can see why. This is life right here.

"Just seeing these people develop over time, you're seeing them at their worst and sometimes at their best. It's life. You can't script it. Every day something different, something new. That's something that I love."

Since finishing his playing career in 1999 and getting his degree in 2005, Jones has spent his life primarily involved with two things that he loves: working with children and basketball. He played professionally for two years in Australia and spent 2005 as a student assistant on Calhoun's staff.

This season, Jones hustled to Saint Joseph practice from his full-time job as registered behavioral technician. His job entails working with children with behavioral issues in the Middletown school system and helping their families. He's also part of the crisis response team.

Prior to moving back to Connecticut, Jones worked various jobs in residential settings, psychiatric facilities and juvenile delinquent facilities in New York. He also ran a basketball training gym in Mount Vernon for six years (2007-2013) before the business eventually closed.

After moving back to Connecticut last year, Jones saw the news that Calhoun was coming out of retirement to coach again.

"I thought this would be a good fit because he knows me, I know him, I know his style and I can be a mentor to these guys, on and off the floor," Jones said. "Immediately, when I read it, I was like, `man, it's perfect timing.' "

Jones has caught the coaching bug.

He'd like to return to Saint Joseph next season. Calhoun has yet to announce his plans. But associate head coach Glen Miller is expected to take over the program if Calhoun retires again.

"I wouldn't have wanted to come aboard this year if I didn't want to go further with this," Jones said. "I definitely can envision myself running a program whether it's D-I, D-II, D-III, NAIA, it doesn't make a difference to me.

"The one thing I can say about myself, even the field I got into working with children, I don't do anything for the money. I've been that type of person my whole life. I could have studied business in school, been on Wall Street. Money never motivated me."

There's no doubt that Calhoun would welcome Jones back.

"Rash is one of the great people of all time," Calhoun said. "Love working with him now at Saint Joseph."

g.keefe@theday.com