Feeling the Paris love, Bulls’ Derrick Jones Jr. gets engaged to girlfriend

Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. is feeling the love in the Paris air and making the most of the team’s trip overseas before the players have even taken the court.

The 25-year-old popped the question to his girlfriend, Shakara, during a team dinner with family and friends Tuesday.

“Man, it’s about that time, so I just got a question for you, Shakara: Will you make me the luckiest man in the world? Will you marry me?” Jones said in a microphone to cheers and applause at the restaurant.

With her jaw dropped, she responded, “Hell, yeah.”

Jones raised his arms and exclaimed “She said yes” twice.

The Bulls have been in Paris since Monday to play the Pistons in the NBA Paris Game, the league’s 119th international game since 1984 and its second global game this year. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central time Thursday at Accor Arena.

A southeastern Pennsylvania native, Jones is in his second season with the Bulls and seventh in the NBA. He was acquired from the Trail Blazers in a three-team trade that included sending former Bull Lauri Markkanen to the Cavaliers in August 2021.

He’s averaging 5.7 points in about 15 minutes per game this season.

In July, Jones Jr. signed a two-year, $6.6 million contract with the Bulls that includes a player option in the second year.