It’s fair to argue that Jonquel Jones has had a roller-coaster ride in the pros. Since being drafted sixth overall in the 2016 WNBA draft, she has seen her stock with the Sun rise and fall from year to year. She rode her elevation to the starting lineup as a sophomore to a Most Improved Player award, only to see her role diminish once more. This season, she’s again part of the first five and making the most of her time under the, well, sun; she finished the regular season as the leading scorer and rebounder of head coach Curt Miller’s equal-opportunity system.
If nothing else, Jones’ career progression underscores her willingness and capacity to deliver exactly what the Sun need of and from her. Heading into Game Two of the 2019 Finals, for instance, she managed to keep her stat lines consistent even as teammates Courtney Williams and Jasmine Thomas amped up their production, albeit off more stabs at the basket. And even as the playoffs’ heightened physicality in the paint limited her options, she proved ready when her number was called.
Yesterday, Jones wound up being the Sun’s difference maker. With the Mystics suddenly at a size disadvantage following the sidelining of league Most Valuable Player Elena Delle Donne due to injury, she underscored her worth on both ends of the court. And by the time the buzzer sounded, she dominated her way to the first-ever 30-15 effort in championship series history. Hers was a complete game that allowed the Sun to win by 12 and tie the best-of-five affair at one match apiece.
Indeed, Jones toyed with primary defenders LaToya Sanders and Emma Meesseman. Smooth from afar and a bully down low, she shot four of seven from three-point range and 13 of 24 all told. She was likewise a force on the boards, coming up with nine on each end to punctuate the Sun’s overwhelming 41-27 advantage. And it’s a good bet to expect her to do much of the same given her sheer size and skill set should Delle Donne, who contained her in Game One, continue to be decommissioned by back problems.
For the Mystics, the good news is that their top player will have five days to recover. Delle Donne is scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging scan today, and the hope is that it will yield positive results. The bad news is that Jones will be trekking to the Mohegan Sun Arena with no small measure of confidence. She’s primed to perform anew, and, if past results are any indication, she’ll produce just what the Sun ask.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
