Former MVP Jonquel Jones re-signed for two years with the Liberty to help New York grab its first-ever WNBA title. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II
There’s never a true offseason when you’re chasing a championship.
Whether its Sabrina Ionescu battling Steph Curry during a first-of-its-kind 3-Point Shootout during NBA All-Star weekend, the Liberty re-signing former WNBA Most Valuable Player Jonquel Jones or adding guard/forward Kennedy Burke via free agency.
New York lost a tough series to repeat champion Las Vegas last Fall, suffering a heartbreaking 70-69 loss to the Aces before a record crowd at Downtown’s Barclays Center in Game 4 of the Finals.
The Liberty haven’t stopped their pursuit of the franchise’s first-ever crown just because they have to wait until May 14 to tip-off their new season in Washington, D.C.
Just ahead of NBA All-Star weekend last Friday, the Liberty brought back Jones on a two-year pact after she hit unrestricted free agency.
The 2021 MVP as a member of the Connecticut Sun joined fellow returnee Breanna Stewart, who is expected to ink a one-year pact this offseason, in guiding New York to its first Finals appearance since 2002.
Jones averaged 11.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per contest in her first year in Brooklyn. She was even better in the playoffs, putting up 16.8 points, 11.6 boards and 2.4 rejections.
Though they missed out on free agent Nneka Ogwumike, who wound up in Seattle, the Liberty made sure their core remained intact after they pushed Vegas to the brink of a winner-take-all Game 5.
Having Ionescu, Jones, Stewart, Betnijah Laney and league assists leader Courtney Vandersloot back on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush this coming summer gives New York a legitimate chance not only to repeat as Eastern Conference champions, but to overtake Vegas for the title.
Getting Jones to re-sign was a high priority for Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb, who watched coach Sandy Brondello get the most out…
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