CT Sun Notebook: Jonquel Jones Nearly WNBA All-Star Game MVP

Jonquel Jones was a part of the WNBA All-Star Game on Sunday, playing for Team Stewart, which fell short to Team Wilson, 134-112.

ESPN’s Holly Rowe interviewed Jones during the game and asked the league’s reigning MVP what her exposure at the All-Star Game meant for the Connecticut Sun.

“It’s very important,” Jones said. “I mean we have me, we have (Brionna Jones), we have (Alyssa Thomas). It’s really important for us to come out here and put our best foot forward for the organization.”

Jones and her fellow Sun All-Stars did just that, and Jones came up just short in being named the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game MVP. The 6-foot-6 forward scored a team-high 29 points to go along with 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals in Sunday’s contest.

This statline was good for Jones’ third double-double in an All-Star game performance, passing Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith for the most double-doubles in WNBA All-Star Game history. She also became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in an All-Star Game.

Jones was the first to record a four-pointer, a new feature of this year’s All-Star Game. Four spots on the floor of Chicago’s Wintrust Arena designated a 28-foot from the rim shot.

Jones explained her approach to the four-points she took in a postgame interview.

“I practiced them yesterday and shot it a lot in the warmups,” Jones said as transcribed by ASAP Sports. “I felt comfortable and confident shooting them. So yeah, that’s all I was thinking about was just getting them up.”

Had her stellar performance not occured in a losing effort, Jones had a pretty significant chance to be named this year’s All-Star Game MVP. She fell short of the honor to Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces who had 30 points, three rebounds and two assists for Team Wilson.

Here are more CT Sun notes:

— The Sun fell short, 82-71, in their July 5 contest against the Atlanta Dream. Despite Courtney Williams’ impressive night on offense with 25 points, the Sun couldn’t pull off a win. The Sun now stand at second in the Eastern Conference behind the Chicago Sky at 14-8.

— Brionna Jones made her second WNBA All-Star Game appearance Sunday. She put up 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes off the bench for Team Wilson.

— Alyssa Thomas also participated in the All-Star Game. Thomas was a reserve for Team Stewart and had four points, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal in 14 minutes.

— Connecticut will be tested come out of the All-Star break, having to play four games in seven days.

— The Sun get back to business Wednesday to face Kelsey Mitchell and the Indiana Fever on the road at noon, and you can catch the game on NESN. CT heads to Atlanta to face the Dream Friday. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game can be seen on NESN+.