By Shane Donaldson
Associate Athletic Director, Communication and New Media

KINGSTON, R.I. - A slight smile formed on his face as Jason Fontenet II pondered the question.

What drew him to the University of Rhode Island? This, after all is a school on the other side of the country for the Phoenix, Arizona native who spent the last three seasons at UC Santa Barbara.

"When they first recruited me, I was surprised. At first it seemed a little random because I really hadn't been to the East Coast," Fontenet said. "The more I learned about the staff and the team, the more they recruited me, the more that Rhode Island stood out."

Assistant coach James Whitford was the first URI staff member Fontenet heard from. However, one of the key pieces in his mind was a connection with head coach Archie Miller. Fontenet's head coach at UC Santa Barbara, Joe Pasternack, had been part of Sean Miller's coaching staff at Arizona before he got the job with the Gauchos.

"There was a connection between my old coach at Santa Barbara and Coach Archie's brother, Sean," Fontenet said. "They were at Arizona at the same time. They had a good connection and were talking about me. The Rhode Island coaching staff, the roster retention that they had with the group of guys coming back and the conference they are in were all positives. They all had a vision for me that really stood out to me."

That vision involves Fontenet impacting the game in a number of different ways. He is a true two-way player who relishes the defensive aspect of basketball.

"Defense has always been my focus. I have always valued defense," Fontenet said. "In college, defense is really how you get on the court at most schools. You have to know how to defend. When Rhode Island was recruiting me, that was an emphasis that really stood out to me. I wanted to be part of a great defensive team, and the coaches showed me the importance they put on that. They guard the ball, they defend, and that leads to being able to push the ball. When you play that way, it leads to easy baskets. That's the kind of system I feel I fit the best."

Not that he is strictly a defensive player. As a sophomore, he emerged as a consistent scorer, averaging 9.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Gauchos. He led UC Santa Barbara to a 21-win season in 2024-25.

As a youngster, football was Fontenet's first sport. After a couple years of tackle football in Pop Warner, he switched to basketball around the third or fourth grade. It was a sport he had grown up around, with several members of the family being former Division I players.

"My dad played basketball, as did my uncle played and my grandpa," Fontenet said. "I've always watched it and been around it. They were all DI basketball players as well. They all really excelled, so I learned a lot from them. It was always engrained in me."

Each of the Fontenet men has found success on the hardwood.

His grandfather, James "B.B." Fontenet, was a star at Nevada. After averaging 15.7 points and 7.2 assists per game as a junior, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game as a senior and was a sixth-round draft pick for the Chicago Bulls in 1982. The 7.2 assists per game as a junior are still the fifth-highest single-season average in Nevada history. In 1980-81, he averaged 38.7 minutes per game, still a program record.

Fontenet's father Jason and his uncle James played two years together at New Mexico State, helping the Aggies win 20 games in their second season. His father transferred to Oregon State for his final two years and finished his collegiate career with 930 points and 353 assists.

His uncle played a season with Scottsdale Community College in 2003-04, averaging 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 steals there. He led the NJCAA Division I ranks in free throw percentage (88.6) while also shooting 39 percent from the arc. He finished his career at UTEP.

"My dad and my grandpa especially were hard on me, but they taught me a lot about the game," Fontenet said. "They instilled a lot of pro habits in me. They always taught me what it means to be a great player and teammate."

The family support system helped Fontenet when he had to deal with an injury setback early in his junior season. Following his breakout sophomore season, Fontenet was named to the preseason All-Big West Team. However, a hip injury ended his 2025-26 season after just five games.

"The past year was tough," Fontenet said. "I was a preseason All-Big West pick, and I was expecting to have a huge year. I hurt my hip and had to get surgery. I redshirted. I've gone through injuries before, but this one really taught me that you just don't take basketball for granted."

It has given him a new level of appreciation for the game that has long been a part of his life.

"Every time I am on the court, it's a blessing," Fontenet said. "When you are out for a year and you have to watch, it's a setback. I really am happy to be back and playing. I am so excited to get the season going."


SUMMER SERIES
July 7 - Hometown Bond Helps Deniusas, Raupelis Adjust