The New York Liberty began the 2025 WNBA season on absolute tear. The Liberty's Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones guided New York to a 9-0 start amidst expectations within the franchise that they would successfully defend the WNBA title they won in 2024 -- the first championship in franchise history.
But injuries soon piled up. All three of Jones, Ionescu and Stewart spent time out of the lineup following that scorching start, and the Liberty limped to the finish line with a 27-17 record -- only good enough for the fifth seed in the WNBA playoffs. New York's championship defense ended with a first-round loss to the Phoenix Mercury, and the Liberty fired head coach Sandy Brondello following the surprise exit.
MORE: Firing Sandy Brondello is an overreaction the Liberty will come to regret
Jones' presence (or lack thereof) had a substantial effect on the Liberty. The 2024 WNBA Finals MVP sprained her right ankle twice during the season and missed more than a month of games; without Jones' size, the Liberty struggled on the glass, and her ability to space the floor as a shooter made Ionescu and Stewart -- two of the WNBA's best shooters -- even more dangerous.
Jones, a pending free agent, revealed via Instagram Stories that she has undergone surgery on her right ankle. Jackie Powell from The IX Basketball has indicated that this was a minor procedure intended to correct instability in the ankle that caused Jones to miss 13 regular-season games -- and struggle for consistency upon her return.
Jonquel Jones shares on Instagram that she had surgery on her right leg. JJ sprained her right ankle twice last season and missed a month of action. Pic.twitter.com/MnigXXybv2
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) October 20, 2025
Like virtually every player who is not on a rookie contract, Jones is slated to hit free agency next year in what could be a transformational offseason in the WNBA. Jones has indicated that she wants to "run it back" with the Liberty -- and if the 2021 WNBA MVP re-signs, one of the most coveted bigs available might not be available at all, forcing big-market teams to scour for alternatives.
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