We decided to share this article with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which has a huge following among the Bahamian diaspora across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. The Nassau Guardian published this article by Tenajh Sweeting on Monday, April 13, 2026. The article can be found here.
TENAJH SWEETING
Guardian Sports Reporter
tenajh@nasguard.com
When the New York Liberty traded for Bahamian female professional basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones back in 2023, the goal was for her to bring home the franchise’s first title in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and they accomplished that in the 2024 season.
Following an abrupt ending to last season, and with newly hired head coach Chris DeMarco at the helm, the Libs have signed Jones to a multi-year deal, with hopes of them returning to the top of the WNBA for the 2026 season.
Jones, the 2024 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), is returning to the lineup for the Liberty, and star players Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu are expected to join her on New York’s roster for the upcoming season.
The Liberty have also bolstered their frontcourt with the addition of Satou Sabally, formerly of the Phoenix Mercury.
Grand Bahama native Jones is set to join the Liberty for her fourth season with the team. She came over to the ‘Big Apple’ via a three-team trade involving her former team, the Connecticut Sun, and the Dallas Wings.
Since then, the decorated WNBA big has fortified her résumé and brought acclaim to the Liberty.
The team finished as the 2023 WNBA runner-up to the Las Vegas Aces, and returned to the championship for the 2024 season, winning the franchise’s first title with a 3-2 series victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
During that run, Jones not only won her first WNBA title, but she also led the Liberty and was named the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP.
Last season, Jones and the Liberty got off to an unblemished 9-0 win/loss start, seemingly prepared to take the league by storm as the title’s favorite.
However, those championship expectations did not materialize, as the team battled injuries all season and closed out the year with an early first-round loss to the Mercury.
That loss resulted in the firing of head coach Sandy Brondello, who was subsequently replaced by Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach DeMarco, who also coaches The Bahamas’ Senior Men’s National Basketball Team.
As for Jones, she put up steady numbers for the season despite being in and out of the rotation due to nagging injuries.
She averaged 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from three-point range in 31 games played.
The former league MVP has contributed in a big way to New York’s success since suiting up for them in 2023. She is a part of the Libs’ ‘Big 3’, and aside from winning the title and Finals MVP Award, the Grand Bahamian all-star has also collected a Commissioner’s Cup MVP while playing in New York.
The pieces are now coming together for the Liberty to return as one of the league’s top teams for the 2026 season.
The team’s proclaimed ‘Big Three’ are set to return, the roster is seemingly healthy, and their new coach possesses a wealth of basketball knowledge, making the group one to watch this season.
The 2026 WNBA preseason is set to begin with the Liberty taking on the Indiana Fever on Saturday, April 25, at 3 p.m.
The game will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.