Connecticut Open: Puig pushes through to semis

Another year, another individual honor for the Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones.

Jones was named the WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year a season after earning the Most Improved Player of the Year honor.

The 6-foot-6 forward/ center averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 20.5 minutes during her third WNBA season. Jones did start 16 games due to injuries to frontcourt stars Alyssa Thomas and Chiney Ogwumike, though the Sun posted a 15-3 record when Jones came off the bench. She was a major reason why the Sun finished the regular season outscoring its opponents 1080-724 in bench points. A total of 11 of her 18 double-digit scoring games came as a reserve as she averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds off the bench. She contributed 9.4 points and 4.9 rebounds as a starter.

Jones received 20 of the 38 votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to become the first player to win both the Most Improved Player and Sixth Player of the Year. She is the first Connecticut Sun players to win the latter since Renee Montgomery in 2012.