George Washington senior Jonquel Jones was selected sixth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the first round of the 2016 Women’s National Basketball Association Draft (WNBA) draft Thursday evening and was later traded to the Connecticut Sun.
GW's first-ever first round pick, Ms. Jones is the sixth player in program history chosen in the WNBA draft and first since Jessica Adair was taken 34th overall by the Phoenix Mercury in 2009.
“It’s a dream come true,” Ms. Jones said after her selection. “When I was a little kid, I thought about being in this moment and just thinking about walking across the stage and getting your jersey and all of that stuff, and now it’s happening.”
A two-time honorable mention All-American, Ms. Jones finished her collegiate career ranked third all-time at GW in rebounds (961), fourth in scoring (15.4 ppg) and fifth in blocked shots (177). Including her time at Clemson as a freshman, Ms. Jones topped both the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound marks, tallying 1,249 and 1,041, respectively. She also owns GW's single-game and single-season rebounding records.
The 6-foot-6-inch forward from Freeport, Bahamas, led the nation in rebounding (14.6 rpg) this season and ranked fourth in the Atlantic 10 in scoring (16.2 ppg) and second in blocks (3.3 bpg). The only player in the conference to average a double-double for the third year in a row, she registered 18 double-doubles in 23 games played and finished her career with 54 in 84 total games.
“This is for the Bahamas,” Ms. Jones said, for “every kid at home who feels like they can do it but doesn’t really see an avenue.
“I’m thanking God all the time. I’m thanking my family and everybody that’s allowed me to be here. A house without a good foundation falls, and my foundation has been awesome.”
Other former Colonials selected in the WNBA draft include Tajama Abraham Ngongba, who was chosen 31st overall by the Sacramento Monarchs in the inaugural WNBA draft in 1997, Cathy Jones, who was picked 30th by the New York Liberty in 2004 and Kimberly Beck, who went 36th overall to the Seattle Storm in 2008.
Ms. Jones is the eighth Atlantic 10 player ever chosen in the first round of the WNBA draft and the highest since Xavier University’s Amber Harris went fourth to the Minnesota Lynx in 2010. Ms. Jones joins the University of Dayton's Ally Malott, who was taken eighth overall by the Washington Mystics last season, to give the A-10 a first round pick two years in a row.
The Sun, which finished 15-19 last season, opens the 2016 season against the Chicago Sky on at Chicago's Allstate Arena. The Sun will visit D.C. Sept. 18 to face the Washington Mystics at the Verizon Center.
Ms. Jones joins the University of Connecticut's Morgan Tuck and the University of Minnesota's Rachel Banham, who were selected third and fourth in the first round by the Sun.