After spending her total profession in Connecticut, Jonquel Jones was prepared for a change.
So she appeared round and determined that New York could be the fitting place for her to proceed her WNBA profession.
“I’m excited to be right here. pleasure to be a part of this group,” Jones mentioned. “For me taking part in in opposition to the Liberty final 12 months I noticed a shift within the tradition. The approach they performed, high-octane basketball. For me I needed to be part of that. To be in a metropolis like New York, it speaks for itself. Felt like the fitting transfer. I do know it is the fitting transfer for this chapter in my life.”
The 2021 MVP was launched by the Liberty at a press convention Friday a couple of days after the staff traded for her as a part of a three-team cope with the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings.
“For me any time you might have an opportunity to get somebody like this, you leap at that,” Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb mentioned. “Players like Jonquel do not turn into accessible fairly often. Pairing her with Sabrina [Ionescu]Β is thrilling. They are going to be a dynamic duo for a really very long time.”
Kolb mentioned that he has had a Liberty jersey for Jones in his workplace for a 12 months, hoping she would possibly turn into accessible. She had one 12 months left on her contract with the Sun earlier than telling the group she needed to play elsewhere this season.
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—@nyliberty
‘The sky is the restrict for her’
The 6-foot-6 All-Star averaged 14.6 factors, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks final season to assist Connecticut attain the WNBA Finals for the second time in 4 seasons.
“Obviously we did not accomplish what we needed to perform [in Connecticut],” Jones mentioned. “My purpose as an athlete, I needed to step into a brand new scenario and a brand new group and higher myself.”
The 29-year-old Jones, who’s from the Bahamas, bolsters a younger New York squad, led by Ionescu and Betnijah Laney, that has misplaced within the opening spherical of the playoffs the previous two years. Jones was the No. 6 choose within the 2016 draft and was the league’s Most Improved Player in 2017. The subsequent season she earned the Sixth Woman of the Year award earlier than garnering the MVP three years later.
“The sky is the restrict for her,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello mentioned. “The purpose is hold enhancing her recreation with the gamers we’ve got right here. She’s the proper match.”
New York is not completed making strikes. The league’s free company begins Saturday and the Liberty are within the combine to doubtlessly add former MVP Breanna Stewart, who’s from upstate New York. Jones performed with Stewart on abroad groups and mentioned that she’ll do no matter is requested of her to recruit free brokers.
