The speculations arose after Liberty’s game against the Washington Mystics. Before they could even settle into their groove, disaster struck in the first quarter. While going up for a shot, JJ ended up on the floor. The game went on, but not for her. She remained down, holding her ankle, clearly in pain. She could only log 6 minutes, yet that was enough for her to record three points and four rebounds before exiting. No doubt, hence, it was a huge loss. Still, the Liberty rallied without her, grinding out an 86-78 win.
Now, with players like Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and even ones off the bench like Kennedy Burke, you might think the team does not need to worry. True. However, they also cannot afford to be complacent right now. For those unaware, New York is now just two wins away from matching the longest winning streak in franchise history. In fact, this is already their best start to a season since 1997, and they’re doing it as reigning champs. So, with Coach Brondello not sure when—or if—JJ will return soon, they might need to pull up their socks even higher.
“She tried to come back at halftime but still had a little bit of pain, so I don’t really know,” Brondello said. “I don’t know if she’s had any x-rays on that yet. Let’s just hope it’s not too bad, something that’ll keep her out.” And that’s all we know for now, as there’s no confirmed update on her return timeline. But if it turns out to be anything serious, Brondello made it clear they’ll keep her out as a precaution.
Sandy Brondello provides an update on Jonquel Jones’ injury: pic.twitter.com/09Lo52lc0D
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) June 6, 2025
In fact, it’s not the first time this has happened. A few games ago, Jones missed a matchup against the Valkyries due to right hamstring soreness, marking just her second regular-season absence since 2023. That game was enough to highlight Jones’ impact as a team that averaged the second-most points in the paint per game was outscored (30-18) in that very area by an expansion team that ranked last. They also got outrebounded 41-36.
With stakes even higher, the Liberty team will have to embody Jones’ mantra, “We are exactly who we are,” with or without her. After all, there are more obstacles ahead.
Jonquel Jones isn’t the only player adding to the NY Liberty’s worries!
No doubt, the New York Liberty are as dominant as ever, riding an eight-game winning streak and showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. But things could get tricky with Jonquel Jones potentially sidelined. If she’s out, that would make her the second key player the Liberty have lost during this regular season. The other? Nyara Sabally, who has only appeared in two games so far.
Sure, Sabally wasn’t starting and neither did she put up gaudy numbers. However, her presence off the bench mattered, as she chipped in around four points and four rebounds per game last year, especially during the Commissioner’s Cup stretch. So, missing that kind of depth at this point in the season isn’t ideal. And while Liberty HC Sandy Brondello gave a quick medical update, saying, “I’m not a doctor, but the doctor says everything’s fine there and just making sure Nyara is feeling good about it, that’s the most important thing and not bringing her back too soon,” its not enough.
Jun 1, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35) reacts during the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
It’s because she had hinted that Sabally is progressing: “She’s getting there. … And hopefully on the flight, nothing goes crazy, and we’re hopeful she’ll go tomorrow.” But that “tomorrow” was May 31st, and Sabally still hasn’t returned to the court. Her last game was against the Sky, and while fans were hoping she’d be cleared soon, it seems her reevaluation has not been going as planned.
And that puts the Liberty in a tight spot. They’re on a hot streak and standing at No. 1—but they’re also gearing up for a showdown with their biggest rivals, the Minnesota Lynx. So the question now is: Will either Jonquel or Nyara return in time to keep this momentum going?
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