Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner showcases why she’s a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist in Friday’s All-Star Skills Challenge. (Photo by Grace Hand/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – When a 14-year-old Jonquel Jones immigrated from the Bahamas in 2008 and arrived at Riverside Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, school trainer Reggie Bailey first noticed her length. Training processions ensued, the season progressed and Bailey recognized the New York Liberty center’s ability to shoot the 3-pointer.
Jones committed to expanding, and Bailey acknowledged that she had continually “developed” her 3-point shot throughout her time at Riverside Baptist. Playing AAU and high school basketball in America motivated her to inherit new skills and, in turn, build her confidence to evolve on the court. Twelve years after she graduated from Riverside, Jones participated in her third WNBA All-Star 3-point contest Friday at Footprint Center as part of the weekend showcase in downtown Phoenix.
Jones and Washington Mystics veteran Stefanie Dolson were the only two centers that competed in the field of five players. Jones, who is shooting 39.6% from behind the arc this season, finished second in the competition behind Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray. For the 2021 WNBA MVP, being a contestant in the competition served a bigger purpose.
“I think that’s the main thing, just representation for the bigs,” said Jones, who studied the likes of NBA champions Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant to supplement her arsenal with the 3-point shot. “Just always reminding people that our league is extremely versatile and that there are many players that can do different things regardless of their position.”
Jones wasn’t the only big to headline Friday’s events – Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner displayed her versatility in the KIA WNBA Skills Challenge to start the evening. The challenge presented an obstacle course, testing participants’ dribbling, passing and shooting from the elbow and 3-point range.
Griner wanted to showcase “that guard work that’s deep in my bones,” she said earlier Friday. Griner finished last in the competition with a first-round exit score of 46.3 seconds. She admitted that she wished she executed her bounce pass with one motion instead of stopping then releasing, adding “it was those little seconds that I wish I would’ve shaved off.”
However, thoughts about her placement didn’t impact the 10-time WNBA All-Star decision to join the competition when the league asked her to participate in the skills challenge.
Personally, she wanted to showcase “that guard work that’s deep in my bones,” she said earlier Friday. But she knew her presence in the competition was bigger than herself and viewed it as an opportunity to “hold it down for the post players out there (in the league).”
Power forwards and centers are traditionally recognized for their dominant paint presence on both ends of the court. Still, the two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year always desired to transcend what many viewed as her position’s status quo.
“I feel like I’ve always kind of wanted to do more than just be in the paint banging down low,” Griner said. “I always wanted to extend my game.”
New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, who is playing in her fifth WNBA All-Star game, comes in second place with 21 points in the final round of Friday’s 3-point contest. (Photo by Grace Hand/Cronkite News)
Griner believes most post players today strive to expand their skill set due to the evolving nature of women’s basketball.
“You see how we are playing, you see how A’ja (Wilson) is playing, you see everybody extending it out,” Griner said. “We’re not just staying (in the post) anymore. We are getting a little bit more out on the perimeter, playing more five-outs. The game is evolving, and it just shows that we are growing as well, and it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Griner respects the WNBA for not dismissing the value players at her position can offer in competitions like the skills challenge and hopes her presence in the contest generates a spirit of boldness within other bigs to exhibit the guard work in their bones confidently.
“I appreciate the league for not overlooking us. We used to get overlooked a little bit,” Griner said. “We used to have to let them know, and finally, me being in the skills challenge, I hope more bigs get into it.”
Griner’s hopes may become a reality. Before the night’s events, Chicago Sky rookie phenom Angel Reese expressed how Jones and Griner’s participation inspired her to join future All-Star competitions.
“Being able to see that is cool,” said Reese, who’s first-year impact on the league has been transformative. “For a long time, posts were posts, and now being able to see the versatility is cool, and hopefully, one day, I can be in the 3-point contest.”
Reese’s grandfather traveled through traffic with his granddaughter from Owings Mills to Laurel, Maryland, for individual sessions with Bailey when the WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate was in elementary school. Bailey believes her early basketball experiences may foreshadow her future offerings in a skills challenge or 3-point contest despite shooting only 20% from deep this season.
But Bailey trusts it will improve.
“Angel played point guard as a kid so ball handling and passing is natural for her,” Bailey said. “Her offensive skill level is just going to get better and better, she has Teresa Weathersoon as a coach.”
If Reese chooses to enter future All-Star weekend contests, according to Griner and Jones’ reaction to their experience, she won’t have to worry about having a memorable time.
“Hopefully, I can do it again,” Griner said with elation. “I had a blast.”
