Sun’s Jones named to All-WNBA team

Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones and former UConn star Breanna Stewart were among the players named to the 2021 All-WNBA First Team Friday.

Jones, the league MVP, appeared on all 49 ballots compiled from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. It’s her first time on the AllWNBA First Team after twice earning Second Team.

With 245 points, Jones was the top vote-getter, followed by Phoenix Mercury teammates Skylar Diggins-Smith (212) and Brittney Griner (197).

Stewart, of the Seattle Storm, also 197, while her teammate Jewell Loyd had 150 for the final sport on the team.

It marks Stewart’s fourth AllWNBA selection. Griner has been picked six times, Diggins-Smith four times and Loyd for the first time.

UConn’s Tina Charles of Washington made the Second Team, along with Las Vegas forward A’ja Wilson, Minnesota center Sylvia Fowles, Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale, and Chicago guard Courtney Vandersloot.

Charles, who has also played for the Sun and the New York Liberty, has made an All-WNBA team nine times in her career.

The 6-foot-6 Jones averaged 19.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.26 blocked shots and 1.26 steals. She led the Sun to a league-best 26-6 record, including a 14-game winning streak to end the regular season.

The Sun lost to Chicago in the WNBA semifinals.

Stewart, the 2018 WNBA MVP, averaged 20.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.75 blocks. She finished third behind Jones and Griner in MVP voting.

Charles, who did not play in 2020, led the league in scoring (23.4 points) while averaging 9.6 rebounds.

Players selected for All-WNBA First Team will receive a $10,300 bonus while Second Team selections receive $5,150.

TAURASI FINED

Former UConn star Diana Tauras was fined $2,500 by the WNBA for making “inappropriate contact with a game official,” the league announced.

The league said the incident happened with 5:52 remaining in the second quarter of Phoenix’s 91-86 win over the Chicago in Game 2 of the WNBA Final Wednesday.

The series is tied 1-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Chicago.