Jonquel Jones is experiencing a career resurgence, attributing her success this season to an unprecedented offseason focused on rest and recovery. After undergoing ankle surgery in October, the New York Liberty center chose not to play overseas, a departure from her usual schedule.
"Obviously, a different type of offseason for me with having surgery and having to bounce back from that," Jones said. "It was uncharted territory, something I’ve never had to deal with before."
The results have been significant. Jones has earned her sixth career All-Star selection, and second as a member of the Liberty. Following an injury-plagued 2025 season, she is currently averaging 15.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, her third-highest scoring output.
Jones has appeared in 21 of the Liberty's 22 games, with her playing time and production increasing. She expressed gratitude for the All-Star nod, stating, "It means a lot to me. It feels good to be playing at an All-Star level. So thank you to everybody that voted for me, took the time to do that, but yeah, it feels good. It feels good to be able to go out there and represent the Liberty."
Under new coach Chris DeMarco, the Liberty have altered Jones's role, increasing her involvement in pick-and-rolls and expanding her offensive opportunities. She is attempting a career-high 4.7 three-pointers per game, converting them at a 41.2 percent clip, and is also drawing more fouls, leading to 4.0 free-throw attempts per game. Her efficiency around the basket has also improved, shooting 62.5 percent within five feet, up from 59.5 percent last season.
Teammate Sabrina Ionescu praised Jones's performance and deservingness of the All-Star recognition. "We’re so happy for her. She deserves it. She deserves every bit of it," Ionescu said. "I don’t think a doubt crossed any of our minds about whether she was going to be or not. She’s so respected in this league. She showed up to play the entirety of the season, [in] a new system, trying to figure it out the way we’re playing [with] her. She’s just so dominant and we’re able to see it night in and night out, so we’re all really happy for her and really happy for [Breanna Stewart] as well. They’re gonna go and represent the Liberty really well."