In the 2025 WNBA season, Jonquel Jones has solidified her status as the pivotal player for the New York Liberty, surpassing even Breanna Stewart in influence. Last season, Jones demonstrated that her performance directly impacts the team’s success, a pattern continuing this year. The Liberty’s center, who signed a two-year, $385,000 contract last year, is proving to be the key to their domination.
The Liberty’s strength lies in the combination of Jones, Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu, forming one of the league’s most powerful trios. However, focusing on all three as equally critical misses the subtle yet significant role Jones plays as the team‘s true X-factor.
Consistent Dominance Drives Liberty’s Early Season Success
Jonquel Jones has been instrumental in New York’s unbeaten 5-0 start to the 2025 season, delivering reliable performances on offense and defense. Through five games, she has averaged an impressive 16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with shooting percentages of 51.1% from the field, 47.1% from beyond the arc, and 68.4% from the free-throw line. Her balance and efficiency have made a notable difference in every match.
Already the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP, Jones has built on her previous success with stronger offensive assertiveness. An analyst observed that this season, 42% of her shots come from the restricted area, compared to just 26% last year, highlighting her aggressive presence near the basket. This shift emphasizes that Jones is stepping out of a supporting role and demanding attention as a dominant force on the court.
Expert Analysis Highlights Jones’s Underrated Importance
Industry observers recognize Jones as the quiet but vital power behind the Liberty’s winning momentum. The Ringer named her New York’s key X-factor, stressing her consistency and integral role. An analyst described her impact, stating,
“As a model of consistency whose game knows little variance, Jones has averaged double-digit points in her past seven seasons but has notched just two 30-point games in her nine-year career. Like gas or electricity, her importance is most felt in her absence, either when she sits or when the Liberty offense makes the mistake of considering her an afterthought.”
—The Ringer Analyst
This analysis confirms that Jones’s value transcends flashy scoring; her steady contributions keep the team balanced and competitive even when others take spotlight attention.
Jones Embraces Her Elevated Role as Leadership Evolves
Jones openly recognizes the importance of maintaining focus and readiness. She has acknowledged growth from last season when she occasionally lost concentration and disengaged. She now views her role as expanding beyond supporting roles to being a consistent threat who drives the Liberty’s performance night after night.
If she continues to apply this pressure, opposing teams will face greater challenges, and the Liberty will emerge as one of the most formidable contenders for the WNBA championship. Jonquel Jones has become the cornerstone of New York’s strategy, proving to be indispensable despite the high-profile presence of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.