In a nail-biting finish, the Liberty celebrated their first WNBA championship as Jonquel Jones led the way with a standout performance in the 2024 Finals.
Jonquel Jones earned the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP title after the New York Liberty’s thrilling Game 5 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night. This victory marked a historic moment for the Liberty, as they secured their first championship in franchise history, ending a 28-season quest for the title.
Jones, who was selected sixth overall by the Connecticut Sun in 2016, had previously made it to the WNBA Finals three times—twice with the Sun and once with the Liberty—during her eight-year career leading up to 2024.
Although she led her team in scoring in each series, she never managed to clinch the Finals MVP award, coming up short each time.
That changed after the Liberty’s overtime win on Sunday, which not only gave Jones her long-awaited championship ring but also the elusive Finals MVP trophy.
“Y’all know my story,” Jones said during her post-game interview. “Y’all know how many times I’ve been denied, but it was delayed, that’s all it was. I’m so happy to do it here.”
Now in her seventh year out of George Washington, Jones averaged 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and shot 56 percent from the field during the Finals. In Game 5, she delivered 17 points, six rebounds, and one assist, playing a key role in securing the title.
Jones dominated the first four games of the series, racking up 72 points, 32 rebounds, and hitting an impressive 50% from the three-point line. She led the team in scoring with 24 points in Game 1 and 21 in Game 4. But it was her standout performance in Game 5 that truly sealed her legacy as the MVP of the Liberty’s Finals team.
Born in the Bahamas, Jones has racked up numerous accolades over her career, including 2017’s Most Improved Player, 2018’s Sixth Woman of the Year, and the 2021 MVP.
She now joins Lauren Jackson (Australia) and Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as one of the few non-American players to claim a Finals MVP title. Additionally, she becomes the 11th player in WNBA history to win both the MVP and Finals MVP honors.
This season marked Jones’ second with the Liberty, after spending her first six seasons with the Connecticut Sun.
Although her stats dipped slightly from her MVP peak due to sharing the court with stars like Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, her size and versatility as a center played a crucial role in transforming the Liberty into a superteam.
For two seasons, Jones put the team’s success ahead of personal accolades. That sacrifice paid off with her first WNBA championship and the Finals MVP award.
READ MORE: 2024 WNBA Finals: New York Liberty outlast Minnesota Lynx in overtime to claim maiden championship
Image Credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
WNBA 
