By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 24, 2020 – When her Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) becomes history, Jonquel Jones, the Bahamian WNBA superstar, could very well have her sights set on a career in politics.
That’s the first thought that flashed through my mind when I saw this post by Jonquel on her Facebook page this morning, Sunday, May 24: “No disrespect to those that paved the way for our country to be where it is today but it’s time to make room for our young educated Bahamians to come home and make our country better. The who you know mentality has to go. Let’s get to the what you know. Covid showed how badly we need to innovate and catch up with the rest of the world.”
Then there was this comment that clearly was a tribute to the manner in which she was raised by her parents: “The power of intercessory prayer was the message this morning. I always say that my Mummy and Grammy prayers kept me out of a lot of trouble. Have a blessed Sunday y’all.”
If politics indeed looms in Jonquel Jones’ future, she was born and raised in one of the islands of The Bahamas that has been a breeding ground for many of the country’s most active and productive politicians and which today in unquestionably the island where current Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis, leader of the Free Natonal Movement (FNM) government , enjoys his strongest support.
Indeed, all five seats in the House of Assembly are currently held by FNM members, but beyond this obvious indication of the FNM’s monolithic political dominance in the second most populous island in The Bahamas, the Prime Minister owes a great deal of his political success to his younger brother, Cyril “Boxer” Minnis, a long-time resident of Grand Bahama who is arguably one of the most effective grass-roots politicians in the country – a fact that he has proven over the years in successive general election campaigns in Grand Bahama.
I don’t know what political party Jonquel Jones and her family support, but if she does decide to enter politics at some later stage in her life, she will certainly be courted by all of the major political parties, not only because of her fame, but also because she is well qualified educationally. Enroute to the stellar professional basketball career she is currently enjoying, after receiving her early education in Grand Bahama, Jonquel attended Riverdale Baptist High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, before enrolling at Clemson University from 2012 to 2013 and George Washington University from 2013 to 2016. She played for the women’s basketball teams at both universities.
Born in Feeport, on January 5, 1994, Jonquel is the daughter of Preston and Ettamae Jones and she has two brothers, David and Tino, and four sisters, Danielle, Niya, Juanita and Pristina.
According to information gleaned from the Internet, Jonquel’s journey to WNBA started officially when she was drafted sixth overall by the Connecticut Suns, in the 2016 WNBA draft. For the Connecticut Suns, “she averaged 6.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, and 1.1 bpg in 34 games with 6 starts, in her rookie seasons.”
“During the 2016–17 off-season, Jones signed with Asan Woori Bank Wibee of the Women’s Korean Basketball League and won a championship with the team,” according to Wilipedia. “In October 2017, Jones signed with Shanxi Flame of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association for the 2017-18 off-season. In August 2018, Jones signed with UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian League.”
Jones, who is also a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “made her debut for the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the first round of EuroBasket Women 2021 qualification on 14 November 2019 against Russia,” according to Wikipedia. “She claimed a mammoth double-double of 29 points and 16 rebounds on what proved to be an agonizing night for Russia coach Alexander Kovalev as he lost his first game at the helm in his hometown of Orenburg.”
With the WNBA 2020 season having been put on hold because of the havoc being wreaked around the world by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jonquel is back home in Grand Bahama spending time with her family.
