Brionna Jones (born December 18, 1995) is an American professional basketball center for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and currently with USK Prague of the Czech Women's Basketball League.[1] She was drafted with the 8th overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft.[2]

Brionna Jones
Jones in 2019
No. 42 – Connecticut Sun
PositionPower forward
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1995-12-18) December 18, 1995 (age 28)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolAberdeen (Aberdeen, Maryland)
CollegeMaryland (2014–2017)
WNBA draft2017: 1st round, 8th overall pick
Selected by the Connecticut Sun
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–presentConnecticut Sun
2017–2019Nadezhda Orenburg
2019–presentUSK Prague
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  United States
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2022 Australia

Early life

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Jones was born to Michael and Sanciarhea Jones. Jones is from Havre de Grace, Maryland. She has an older brother Jarred, a younger sister, Stephanie, and a younger brother, Jordan. She attended Aberdeen High School, and led her high school to a state championship her junior year.[3]

College career

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Jones attended the University of Maryland, where she graduated in three years and majored in kinesiology.[4]

WNBA career

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In the 2017 WNBA draft Jones was selected 8th overall by the Connecticut Sun.

Jones broke out in the 2020 WNBA Bubble and showed signs of top super-star potential.

In 2021 Jones had her breakout year averaging 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 30.6 minutes while starting all 32 games for the Sun this season. Her previous career highs in each of those categories were all set with the Sun in 2020, when she averaged 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 26.1 minutes in 21 games. Jones was selected as a 2021 WNBA All Star. Jones helped the Sun post the highest winning percentage in franchise history (.813) and finish the regular season with 14 consecutive victories for the fourth-longest winning streak in WNBA history. With her improvement and her becoming one of the next stars in the WNBA Jones was named the 2021 WNBA Most Improved Player Award, Jones was also named to the 2021 WNBA All Defensive Second Team .[5]

On June 23, 2023, Jones suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in her right leg, necessitating season–ending surgery.[6]

Career statistics

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WNBA

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Regular season

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Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics[7]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2017 Connecticut 23 0 6.4 .575 .833 1.7 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.4 2.9
2018 Connecticut 27 0 9.0 .469 .727 2.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.6 3.1
2019 Connecticut 27 0 8.4 .467 .000 .667 2.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.7 3.5
2020 Connecticut 21 21 26.1 .605 1.000 .691 5.6 1.0 1.7 0.7 1.6 11.2
2021 Connecticut 32 32 30.6 .571 .000 .796 7.3 1.8 1.4 0.5 2.2 14.7
2022 Connecticut 36 7 25.1 .571 .000 .844 5.1 1.3 1.2 0.4 1.5 13.8
2023 Connecticut 13 13 31.7 .571 .500 .776 8.2 2.4 1.8 0.5 2.2 15.9
2024 Connecticut 40° 40° 27.2 .539 .143 .738 5.5 1.5 1.2 0.6 1.3 13.7
Career 8 years, 1 team 219 113 20.8 .557 .172 .772 4.6 1.1 1.0 0.4 1.3 10.1
All-Star 3 0 12.3 .500 .000 1.000 3.0 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.3 8.0

Playoffs

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WNBA playoff statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2019 Connecticut 8 0 4.4 .625 1.000 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.0 0.5 1.5
2020 Connecticut 7 7 28.3 .453 .889 7.3 1.4 1.6 0.3 1.4 9.4
2021 Connecticut 4 4 25.8 .594 .643 4.3 0.5 1.5 0.8 1.5 11.8
2022 Connecticut 12 0 21.3 .522 .000 .711 4.0 1.3 0.9 0.3 1.2 10.3
2023 Connecticut Did not play (season-ending injury)
2024 Connecticut 7 7 19.9 .482 .000 .769 3.6 1.4 0.6 0.6 2.0 9.1
Career 5 years, 1 team 38 18 19.2 .508 .000 .737 3.9 1.1 0.9 0.3 1.3 8.2

College

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NCAA statistics[8]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2013–14 Maryland 35 13 16.2 .607 .554 4.5 0.3 0.7 0.5 1.2 6.9
2014–15 Maryland 37 37 24.4 .601 .000 .634 8.9 0.7 1.0 1.3 1.8 12.4
2015–16 Maryland 35 34 25.9 .665 .635 9.8 1.1 1.1 1.1 2.4 15.2
2016–17 Maryland 35 35 26.8 .690 .000 .767 10.9 1.5 1.9 1.6 1.4 19.9
Career 142 119 23.3 .650 .000 .672 8.5 0.9 1.2 1.2 1.7 13.6

Personal life

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Jones's sister, Stephanie, played with her on the Connecticut Sun in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Brionna JONES at the EuroLeague Women 2019–20". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  2. ^ Shaffer, Jonas (April 13, 2017). "Maryland's Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brionna Jones selected in top 10 of WNBA draft". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  3. ^ "Everything's in place for Brionna Jones". November 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Connecticut Sun Brionna Jones Named 2021 KIA Most Improved Player". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "Sun's Brionna Jones undergoes Achilles surgery, out for season". espn.com. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  7. ^ "Brionna Jones WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
  8. ^ "Brionna Jones College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  9. ^ "Sisters Brionna and Stephanie Jones reunite in Connecticut Sun training camp". ctpost.com. Connecticut Post. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
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