2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament Brackets
It has always been next player up for the Connecticut Sun.
That’s what it was last season in the bubble and that is the mantra this year now that potential MVP-candidate Jonquel Jones is going to miss four to six games to play overseas at EuroBasket, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It’s going to be a group effort,” Sun head coach Curt Miller told reporters Tuesday. “You don’t replace one of the elite players in the league with just one person.”
Jones, the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month in May, has been the go-to player for the Sun this season.
She has consistently led the team in scoring and rebounding this season and is the only player in the WNBA to average 20 or more points and 10 rebounds per game. She has also taken the least shots per game (13.9) of any player averaging 20 or more points.
That is nearly impossible to replace, especially over a multi-game stretch. For the Sun, however, it does mean that other players will get a chance to step up.
“It’s going to give opportunities to other people and I can’t wait to see who shines in this moment for us,” Miller said.
Last season, that player was Brionna Jones — who took over for Jonquel when she opted out due to COVID-19 concerns.
After getting that opportunity last season, Brionna Jones has been one of the most consistent forces in the Sun’s lineup in this campaign. In just over 30 minutes per game, she has put up 12.6 points, six rebounds and over a steal per game, while also turning the ball over just once per game, the lowest rate among the starters.
“Obviously, [she’s] a big piece of the puzzle for us already, but even more intent to play through [Brionna Jones],” Miller said. “Obviously, you know establishing paint points has been a big part of our success this year. Playing in the paint, so Bri Jones again just will be magnified during this stretch without JJ.”
The Sun also added another piece to that puzzle on Monday by signing forward Emma Cannon to a hardship contract while Jonquel Jones is away. Cannon previously played in 34 games for the Sun in 2017, so she is familiar with the organization. She has also played four games over the past two season for the Las Vegas Aces, with three coming this season.
Miller said he met with her Monday night, and she is coming in with a humble mindset.
“She knows at some point she’s going to be terminated but to be around her and feel the gratitude and appreciation makes it special to be a coach,” Miller said “We know what we’re going to get. We’re going to get a veteran that plays hard, likes to screen, likes to be physical, likes to rebound.”
For now, the team is going to focus on continuing its run of success and will look to be ready for when Jonquel Jones eventually comes back.
“We don’t get too low, we can’t get too low, so that’s that’s what the season is all about up to now. So when you get back, we’ll be ready to take off again.” Bonner said.