Jonquel Jones stood at center court inside Chicago’s United Center, the All-Star MVP trophy in her hands, tears streaming down her face, and 19,783 fans on their feet. What the crowd saw was a 32-year-old at the peak of her powers — 22 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, a near triple-double that led Team Spoon to a 129-120 victory. What they couldn’t see was the weight she carried into that building, and the promise she made to someone who couldn’t be there.
“This one holds a special place in my heart now,” Jones told ESPN after the game, her voice cracking. She dedicated the performance to her late aunt — one of the matriarchs of her family, the woman who hosted the gatherings and kept everyone connected. Jones wanted to win this game for her. She didn’t just win it. She made history.
A Historic MVP Sweep
With the All-Star MVP in hand, Jones became the first player in WNBA history to complete the career MVP grand slam: All-Star Game MVP, regular-season MVP (2021), WNBA Finals MVP (2024), and Commissioner’s Cup MVP (2026). Three other legends — Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Maya Moore — have won the first three. Jones now stands alone with all four. She also became the first international player (Bahamas) to win the All-Star MVP, the first player to lead her team in points, rebounds, and assists in an All-Star Game, and the first player to record a double-double in four different All-Star appearances.
That’s not a stat line. That’s a career résumé.
The Emotional Weight Behind the Trophy
In her postgame press conference, Jones opened up about why this particular All-Star Game meant so much. “My aunt meant a lot to me,” she said, pausing to collect herself. “She was one of the matriarchs in our family. A lot of great family parties and get-togethers that happened at her house. My best memories were being in the kitchen with her, cooking, laughing, just being together.”
Jones paused again. The room was silent. “I wanted to show her love in that way tonight,” she said. “I wanted to play for her.”
The performance was a masterclass in controlled dominance. Jones didn’t force anything — she let the game come to her. Her 22 points came on efficient shooting. Her 13 rebounds included four on the offensive glass. Her eight assists showed a passing dimension that has become an increasingly important part of her game in recent years. She controlled the paint on both ends and made every right decision in transition.
From the Bahamas to Basketball Royalty
Jones’s journey to this moment is one of the more remarkable stories in WNBA history. Born in the Bahamas, she moved to the United States as a teenager, played college basketball at George Washington University, and was drafted sixth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016 — then immediately traded to the Connecticut Sun. The trade stung at the time, but it became the foundation of a career.
In Connecticut, Jones blossomed into a star. Her 2021 MVP season — 19.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks per game, 51.5% shooting — was one of the most dominant individual campaigns in league history. But team success eluded her, and in 2023 she was traded again, this time to the New York Liberty. The move was supposed to be the final piece for a Liberty superteam that already featured Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.
It worked. In 2024, Jones helped lead the Liberty to their first WNBA championship in franchise history, winning Finals MVP in the process. The Commissioner’s Cup followed in 2026, with Jones again taking home MVP honors. And now the All-Star MVP completes the set.
The Overlooked Superstar
Despite all the hardware, Jones has spent much of her prime in the shadows of bigger names. In Connecticut, she was the best player on a team that couldn’t quite break through. In New York, she has been the third headliner behind Stewart and Ionescu — the quiet star who does the dirty work while the guards get the headlines.
But the numbers don’t lie. Over 10 WNBA seasons, Jones has averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting over 51% from the floor. She’s a six-time All-Star, a four-time All-WNBA selection, and now the most individually decorated player in the history of the league’s awards.
What’s Next for JJ?
Jones and the Liberty return from the All-Star break as one of the favorites to reach the WNBA Finals again. New York currently sits second in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the defending champion Connecticut Sun. With Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones all healthy and playing at an elite level, the Liberty have the kind of top-end talent that can carry a team through a seven-game series.
But the subplot worth watching is Jones’s individual legacy. She’s now 32 years old, in her 10th season, and the trophy cabinet is getting crowded. Two more strong seasons — maybe another Finals run, maybe another MVP-caliber campaign — and the Hall of Fame conversation becomes a formality. She’s already the greatest international player in WNBA history. She’s already the most decorated center of her generation. The question now isn’t whether she belongs among the greats. It’s how high she can climb.
“This is everything I dreamed about as a little kid,” Jones told reporters, the trophy still in her lap. “I wanted to be great. I wanted people to remember my name. And I wanted my family to be proud.”
On a Saturday night in Chicago, with a record crowd roaring and tears still drying on her cheeks, Jonquel Jones did all three. Her aunt would have loved every second of it. And somewhere, in a kitchen filled with family and laughter and the smell of something incredible cooking on the stove, you have to believe she was watching.
Sources: ESPN, Olympics.com, Yahoo Sports, High Post Hoops, Associated Press
Last updated: July 31, 2026