George Washington University alumna Jonquel Jones, B.A. ’19, HON '25, earned the WNBA All-Star Game MVP, registering 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to help Team Spoon outlast Team Coop 129-122 in the exhibition contest featuring the game's brightest stars Saturday night in Chicago.
The 32-year-old New York Liberty center and GW Athletics Hall of Famer became the first player to win the league, WNBA Finals, Commissioner's Cup and All-Star MVP awards. She became the first Liberty player and, in the league's 30th season, the first international player to be named All-Star MVP.
Saturday night's honor is the latest in an ever-growing list of achievements for Jones, who put together a historic career at GW before ascending to WNBA stardom. During her time in the buff and the blue, Jones earned both Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, just the fourth player in conference history to earn both accolades in a single season. She twice led GW to the NCAA Tournament.
Jones, who moved from her native Bahamas to Maryland at age 14, ranks third all-time at GW in career rebounds, fourth in scoring average (15.4) and fifth in blocked shots in just 76 games from 2013-16 after transferring from Clemson.
She is one of only three players ever in the storied tradition of GW women’s basketball with 1,000-plus points, 800-plus rebounds and 100-plus blocks. After leading the nation as a senior in rebounding, Jones earned her second career WBCA All-American nod as well as her second-straight Associated Press All-American recognition.
Her achievements on the court and leadership off it led to her eventual induction to the GW Athletics Hall of Fame.
And in May 2025, she delivered the keynote speech to graduates during Commencement on the National Mall, urging them to "trust their instincts" in an inspiring message. Jones joined the ranks of former Commencement speakers, including former First Lady Michelle Obama; Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); chef, humanitarian and human rights advocate José Andrés; NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie; and actor, director and producer Kerry Washington, B.A. ’98.
Jones was drafted sixth overall in the 2016 WNBA draft as GW’s first-ever first-round selection. In 2021, she won the league’s most coveted individual award—MVP—while also earning All-Defensive First Team honors. She became the first player in WNBA history to win the MVP, Sixth Woman of the Year and Most Improved Player awards.
Jones joined the New York Liberty in 2023, where she helped the team win the Commissioner's Cup, earning MVP honors for the tournament. She also led the Liberty to the 2024 WNBA championship, where she was named finals MVP after an outstanding performance in the decisive Game 5.
