Jonquel Jones

Jonquel Jones is a professional basketball player from The Bahamas. Currently, she is playing in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) for the Connecticut Sun. Jones is a power forward/center and has played in various teams, including the Clemson Tigers women’s basketball team and George Washington Colonials women’s basketball.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Jonquel Jones was born in Freeport, the Bahamas, on January 5, 1994. She grew up there until she moved to Maryland at 14. She attended Riverdale Baptist School with her legal guardian being Coach Diane Richardson. In high school, her schoolmates called her “Big Slim.” Jones attended college at Clemson from 2012 to 2013 and then at George Washington from 2013 to 2016. She played basketball in both schools.

Career

Jones made the WNBA 2016 draft and was selected by the Connecticut Sun. This was after Los Angeles Sparks traded her draft rights for Chelsea Gray and two other picks. She was the Suns' backup center during her rookie season, averaging 6.8 ppg, 1.1 bpg, and 3.7 rpg, plus six starts, in 34 games.
She became the starting center for the team in her second season. Jones had a successful sophomore season where she helped the Sun to make a comeback, defeat the Washington Mystics, and lead the team to the playoffs ever since 2012. However, the Sun lost to Phoenix Mercury in the second round with a final score of 98-86.

Jones redeemed her role as the center in the next season, leading the team in rebounds. The Sun was even a contender for the championship but was ultimately defeated by the Washington Mystics. Due to the coronavirus, Jones decided to forgo the WNBA 2020 season. In 2021, she returned and helped the Sun get its best record as a top team in the league and was awarded WNBA MVP.

Jones also has a thriving overseas career playing for Asan Woorie Bank Wibee of the Women’s Korean Basketball League in the 2016-17 off-season. She also signed with the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association team, Shanxi Flame, during the 2017-18 off-season. Jones joined the Russian League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, in August 2018 but left in 2022. Jones debuted for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team on November 14, 2019, during the EuroBasket Women 2021 qualification.

Career Highlights:

• 2021 – WNBA MVP
• 2021 – All-WNBA First Team
• 2019, 2021 – 2x WNBA All-Defensive

First Team

• 2019 – WNBA Blocks Leader
• 2018 – WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year
• 2017, 2019, 2021 – 3x WNBA All-Star
• 2017, 2019, 2021 – 3x WNBA

Rebounding Leader

• 2017, 2019 – 2x All-WNBA Second Team
• 2017 – WNBA Most Improved Player

Award

• 2017 – WNBA Peak Performer
• 2017 – WKBL Defensive Player of the

Year

• 2015 – Atlantic 10 Player of the

Year

• 2015 – Atlantic 10 Defensive Player

of the Year