Is Jonquel Jones the Liberty’s Most Important Player?

Wh0 is Jonquel Jones?

Before covering what makes her so important to New York, one must know what Jones brings to the table. Jones stands at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, making her one of the strongest players in the W. Her size and stature make it incredibly difficult for defenders to keep her out of the paint.

That’s not all, either. Jones is what we call a “stretch big”, meaning she can shoot from all over the floor. This year, Jones is shooting 47.5% from the field and 43.8% from three – the highest of all WNBA centers. She’s also a menace on the boards, averaging 9.6 rebounds a night. Only A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese are ahead of her in that category.

She can score and clean up glass, but if there’s anything that Jonquel Jones is best at, it’s playing defense. Her 83.7 defensive rating is second on the team and best among centers (minimum 20 minutes per game), while her 1.1 blocks per game is second on the team to Breanna Stewart.

Jones’ presence alone makes life difficult for those that dare stroll into the paint or take her on as a 1v1 matchup. Watch how she erases a Brittney Sykes layup attempt here:

With Jones on the floor for any team, the possibilities are endless. Now put her on the best team, and the result is an unflappable whirlwind tearing up the W.

The Jonquel-Sized Hole in New York

Jones’s absence means several things for New York – none of which are good.

For starters, Jones is the third leading scorer on the team. That means with her gone, Ionescu and Stewart, who are the two leading scorers, must up their production. This leads to more minutes for both, and as a result, more fatigue with an increased risk of injury. With this season being longer than any previous WNBA season, keeping your stars healthy and rested for the postseason will be paramount. Unfortunately, that task gets harder with Jones gone for New York.

Their defense will also, and already has, suffered as a result. In the game where Jones went down, the Phoenix Mercury ultimately scored 89 points. The next night, with no Jones from the tip, the Liberty again surrendered 89 points – this time to the Storm. Notably, bigs Alyssa Thomas and Nneka Ogwumike had big nights in Jonquel’s absence. Thomas went for 18/14/7, while Ogwumike had 26 points on 12/17 shooting.

Back to the offensive end, because with Jones out, the Liberty offense has taken a step back. For the first time all season against the Storm, the Liberty failed to tally 80 points. In Jonquel’s absence, the Liberty’s three-point shooting has taken a dip, as players can focus on the perimeter more with less of a paint presence available.

As mentioned earlier, Jonquel may not be the first name mentioned when naming the Liberty’s best player. There is no doubt, based on the nature of the team’s play without her, that she is the single most important player.

How Do the Liberty Proceed?

The good thing for the Liberty is that they are possibly the deepest team in the WNBA. The storm will be rough to weather, but their talent and depth will help them to weather it. Nyara Sabally is a great player who will and has stepped up in Jonquel’s absence, becoming the starting center for the time being.

New York still has Sabrina and Stewie to lead the charge, and with support from players like Kennedy Burke, offensive production shouldn’t completely slip. Defensively, acquisitions like Natasha Cloud and Rebekah Gardner should hold the defense together enough to still keep them in most games.

Bottom line, the Liberty won’t be themselves, and teams will pounce on their vulnerability until Jones comes back. They’re not dead in the water, but the sooner Jonquel comes back, the better.