WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones kept the Liberty dream alive in Game 5

NEW YORK – How come so many of us have forgotten Jonquel Jones?

In New York's decisive 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, it was the forgotten MVP – and now the Finals MVP – who kept the Liberty within striking distance of the other members of the Big Three I couldn't throw a basketball into the sea.

A big body with incredible shooting touch inside and outside the field, Jones scored 17 points on Sunday while shooting 50% from the field.

Talkers like to call the Liberty a “superteam,” a star-studded roster built through free agency and trades with the express goal of winning a title. The biggest parts of this superteam should be Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart.

First, the Liberty drafted Ionescu No. 1 in 2020. Then Jones arrived via trade. Stewart was the last – and perhaps most coveted – player to sign via free agency in 2023. But if we're honest, it's often Stewart and Ionescu who get the most attention, both in the media and on defense. Somehow and sometimes Jones gets overlooked.

Jones came to New York after six seasons in Connecticut, where she played for two titles with the Sun, losing to the Washington Mystics in 2019 and Las Vegas in 2022.

But her journey began much earlier when the Bahamian left her home country at the age of 13 to pursue her dream of basketball. Jones, now 30, was emotional when the buzzer sounded and again when she was announced as the 2024 Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2, 2 assists and 32 of 57 (56%) shots.

As confetti fell from the rafters, Jones and Stewart shared a long hug. Jones said afterward that she just “sobbed in (Stewart's) ear, I didn't say a word.”

She was overwhelmed, she said, because “we've talked about it so much (winning a title), it's exactly what we imagined.”

During the trophy presentation, Jones became emotional again and said: “I could never have dreamed of this. You all know how many times I’ve been rejected, but I’ve been stopped, that’s all.”

Winning with Stewart was very special for Jones.

“I watched Stewie be great for so long, in high school, then in college and then in the WNBA,” Jones said. “For a long time, she was the person I pursued in college; I wanted my game to be at their level.”

But Jones wasn't the only overlooked or forgotten player who helped define Sunday.

When Nyara Sabally, a German native who played college ball at Oregon, was drafted fifth by the Liberty in 2022, New York knew it was a gamble. Sabally was hampered by injuries throughout her college career and was forced to sit out her rookie season after suffering another knee injury.

She has played sparingly over the last two seasons, and in the semifinal against Las Vegas this postseason, totaling just 15 minutes, she sat on the bench for two of the four games. But she played a crucial role in the Finals, never more so than in the second half of Game 5.

At halftime, with the Liberty trailing 34-27, New York coach Sandy Brondello told Sabally to be ready because she would likely be fielding a large lineup.

The Liberty got a huge boost when Sabally came on and scored nine points in 10 minutes in the third and fourth quarters. Her layup with 3:07 remaining gave New York its first lead of the game. Her steal and layup in overtime were also crucial.

“Her ability to make one-on-one plays, rebound the ball, play great defense and finish plays,” Brondello said of why she chose Sabally. “I'm really, really proud of her. I know she faced a lot of adversity, but the biggest game of her career and she really rose to the occasion. That says a lot for a young player. The future is pretty bright.”

Stewart called Sabally “the X factor.”

“Listen, we were tired,” Stewart said. “We needed a spark and she was it…we are so proud of Ny.”

Both Jones and Sabally had a circuitous and somewhat unconventional path to a WNBA championship. When asked what can be done to help more Bahamian players – the next Jonquel Jones, so to speak – get into the WNBA, Brondello had a unique suggestion.

“I think we need a (victory) parade in the Bahamas,” Brondello said. “Let's go!”

If the Liberty take this celebration internationally, they might also want to consider a victory parade in Germany.

As Brondello said, the future is bright – not just for these two young players, but for the entire league thanks to them. And by shining on the biggest stage, many little girls in Jones and Sabally's home countries will be trying to be next.

Email Lindsay Schnell at [email protected] and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell

WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones kept the Liberty dream alive in Game 5

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By Vanessa

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