New York Liberty star center Jonquel Jones will miss the next four to six weeks after reaggravating a sprained right ankle during Thursday’s 89-81 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.
The five-time All-Star initially sprained the ankle during a June 5 matchup against the Washington Mystics and missed two games before making a return on June 17 against the Atlanta Dream. While she played 25 minutes, she shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 10 points.
Jones managed just 8:52 of playing time on Thursday against Phoenix before exiting with 8:35 to go in the second quarter.
Further imaging revealed that she has avoided a long-term injury, meaning New York’s frontcourt will have to stay afloat for roughly a month without the 2021 WNBA MVP.
The 31-year-old has been one of the more dominant forces in the league since she was drafted No. 6 overall out of Clemson in 2016 by the Los Angeles Sparks. Along with that MVP, Jones is a five-time All-Star, a rebounding champion, a blocks champion, and a four-time All-Defensive Team member.
She was acquired by the Liberty ahead of the 2023 season, averaging 12.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. Her greatest contribution, however, came in the 2024 WNBA Finals, when she averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. In the winner-take-all Game 5, she posted 17 points and six boards.
The Liberty will now turn to Nyara Sabally to step in at the starting center role during Jones’ absence. She missed six of the first eight games of the WNBA season due to a knee injury that prompted her to stay in New York rather than join the German national team at the 2025 Eurobasket.
