2021 WNBA MVP: Solar’s Jonquel Jones runs away with award after standout season

The WNBA launched Tuesday morning that Connecticut Solar forward Jonquel Jones has been named the 2021 MVP. After sitting out last season attributable to issues over COVID-19, Jones got here back to the league and build up profession numbers. She averaged 19.4 parts, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. She became as soon as fourth in the league in scoring this season, first in rebounding and became as soon as one in every of actual two players to sensible a double-double for the length of the regular season. 

Winning MVP is actual the most up-to-date award to be added to Jones’ trophy case, as she became as soon as the 2017 WNBA Most Improved Participant, and in 2018 she became as soon as named WNBA Sixth Lady of the one year. Winning all three awards makes her the main player in league history to kind that feat.

What’s great extra impressive about her consistent performance all season prolonged is that midway thru the WNBA season Jones flew to Europe to compete for Bosnia and Herzegovina to play in the females’s EuroBasket tournament. In six games she averaged a ridiculous 24.3 parts, 16.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.5 blocks and one take. Though the time some distance off from the Solar became as soon as expected to distress her possibilities to settle MVP, she ultimate persevered her dominance and extra proved she became as soon as the runaway MVP.

Jones bought 48 of the 49 first-residing votes for the award, whereas Phoenix Mercury heart Brittney Griner got here in 2d residing. Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart got here in the third residing for the award. Minnesota Lynx heart — and the 2021 Defensive Participant of the one year winner — Sylvia Fowles and Washington Mystics heart Tina Charles rounded out the kill 5 in voting.

Led by Jones’ dominant play, Connecticut cruised to the ultimate winning share in franchise history (.813), and its 14-game settle meander to pause the regular season is the fourth-longest in WNBA history. She’ll now are attempting to lead the Solar to its first ever championship after they tip off their semifinals series in opposition to the Chicago Sky Tuesday night. Connecticut secured the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, which offers them residence-courtroom earnings all the diagram thru the postseason. The Solar are heavily preferred to settle it all this season, no longer ultimate thanks to Jones, but consequently of they’ve an infinite quantity of depth and expertise on their roster. Or no longer it is the cause the Solar additionally possess the 2021 Most Improved Participant in Brionna Jones, and the 2021 Coach of the one year in Curt Miller.

Connecticut will originate its quest for a championship at residence in opposition to Chicago Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.