By admin 
New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones earned WNBA Most Improved Player, Sixth Woman of the Year and league MVP honors over a five-season span early in her career.
Read more Rams QB Ty Simpson becomes last first-round pick to sign
She was Finals MVP in 2024 and on Saturday night added another award by capturing MVP of the WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago.
Jones had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to boost Team Spoon to a 129-122 victory against Team Coop.
Pausing to reflect on her accomplishments and an All-Star effort she dedicated to her late aunt, Jones encouraged young fans to channel their own persistence.
“Just stick with it. Work every day. Trust your coaches,” she said. “Trust the people that want the best for you. Understand that it is a journey; there’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows. But it’s about just being consistent every day, and ultimately, the work will show.”
A league All Star Game-record 19,783 fans attended the game at the United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
That more than doubled the attendance when Chicago hosted the annual midseason showcase in 2022. A crowd of 9,572 had looked on at Wintrust Arena, where the Chicago Sky play their home games.
“This crowd tonight was obviously incredible and able to set an attendance record,” said Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark of Team Spoon. “And any time you get to play in the United Center, that’s really fun, too.”
While Skylar Diggins remains the only player to record an All-Star triple-double, accomplishing the feat last season, Jones and Team Spoon counterpart Olivia Miles put that record in peril.
Miles, a rookie point guard for the Minnesota Lynx, added 11 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a game in which her team led by as many as 18 points.
“It was fun,” said Miles, the only rookie selected for the game. “I’d do it again.”
Read more After 80 stores close, Leslie’s Pool Supply gives Chapter 11 warning
Allisha Gray (19 points), Clark (17), A’ja Wilson (12), Courtney Williams (12), Nneka Ogwumike (11) and Kiki Iriafen (10) also scored in double figures for Team Spoon.
Team Coop’s Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana led all scorers with 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting.
“The reality is that I love the game,” Mitchell said. “I’ve got to give what I’ve got to give to it, and if I don’t, then I’m not giving my best.”
Jones finished 8-for-17 from the floor in 22 minutes. She credited the game’s unique atmosphere for helping to create extra looseness.
With the WNBA saluting its 30th anniversary season, Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon drafted the teams and served as general managers. They also were part of a rotating contingent that was “mic’d up” during an interactive broadcast on ABC.
“Being able to share the All-Star weekend with other great players and people that you normally are competing against,” Jones said. “I feel like when I’m playing against the (Las Vegas) Aces, me and A’ja are going at it, so it was good to see her in a different light, to have her as my teammate.”
Marina Mabrey added 23 points for Team Coop. Gabby Williams chipped in 18 points, while Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga had 12 each. Malonga grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double while Breanna Stewart (six points) also had 13 boards.
Minnesota Lynx bench boss Cheryl Reeve coached Team Spoon while Becky Hammon, coach of the reigning league champion Las Vegas Aces, guided Team Coop.
Team Spoon rolled to an 81-64 advantage at the half behind 55.7% shooting compared to 42.6% for Team Coop. The teams combined for 24 makes from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes, with Mabrey (five) edging Clark (four) for the most treys before the break.
Mabrey, who entered the All-Star break as the league leader in made 3s with 82, led all scorers with 23 first-half points. Still, Malonga provided arguably the most memorable first-half basket with a dunk off a pass from Angel Reese with 6:24 to play in the second quarter.
Read more What the Supreme Court’s test for gun rules could mean for AR-15s this year
It marked the first dunk in an All-Star Game since Sylvia Fowles in 2022.
–Field Level Media
Copyright 2026 Field Level Media. All Rights Reserved.