ONE of the most decorated basketball players in Bahamian history Jonquel “JJ” Jones got all of her flowers over the past few days in Grand Bahama and New Providence.

Her return to home soil started with a motorcade in Grand Bahama over the weekend and wrapped up with an all girls’ basketball clinic and celebratory Junkanoo rushout at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium on Monday.

The former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) MVP made history as the first Bahamian to hoist the WNBA crown and WNBA Finals MVP awards. She accomplished the historic feat by leading the New York Liberty to their first title in franchise history with a 67-62 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. The Libs won the series 3-2 and became the first basketball team in New York to win a title since the New York Knicks won it in 1973.

With the Libs being the reigning champions, Jones is expecting the team to have a target on their backs next season but is ready for the challenge.

“We know that coming into this next year that obviously the champions always get the toughest fight. I think that we have the experience for it because the majority of the season we were the number one team in the league. 

“There are teams that might have been on a five-game losing streak and weren’t looking too good but when it’s time to play us they are playing like All-Stars. We understand that was the situation that we were in and heavy is the head that wears the crown. “We will be ready for this next chapter and the battles that are coming up and now we have time in the off-season to really fine tune some things, work on our bodies and make sure that when we come into this next season that we can hit the ground running,” he said. 

New York capped off the regular season with a league’s best 32-8 win/loss record before closing out the season as first time champions. The City of New York celebrated the team’s championship in grand fashion with a parade in Manhattan. 

The Grand Bahamian admitted at a press conference on Monday that the experience playing in New York is simply second to none.

“New York fans really know sports and they are really passionate about it. When you go out there and you play the right way they really embrace you and so I think we feel that and we love that about the city. I know I want every Bahamian that is possible to be able to come into Barclays Centre and just experience what it feels like to be at a New York Liberty WNBA Game because I feel like the energy there is different and it is something that really highlights women’s sports in a great light and sheds light on where the league could go and some of the steps we have been taking in order to grow the league and ensure that we are moving in the right step towards equality and equal pay,” she said.

Jones was not the only Bahamian shining bright in the Big Apple. New York Mets first base coach Antoan Richardson and New York Yankees third baseman Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr also had some big moments in New York.

“Jazz” made it all the way to the 2024 MLB World Series to become just the second Bahamian since Ed Armbrister to accomplish the historic feat.

Jones spoke about the relationship shared between her and “Jazz” as two successful Bahamians in the Big Apple.

“We talked about the experience of being in New York. We talked about how the energy of the city is infectious and how the people really embrace professional sports and invigorate you with their energy. We felt that and we love that about the city. Anyway we could support each other we try to do that. We understand that we are from a small nation but a nation that is very prideful and a nation that has really strong-willed people that can go out there and do a lot of great things on the national and international stage,” she said. 

The 2024 WNBA Finals MVP’s homecoming tour wrapped up on Monday. The major sponsors for the homecoming were Aliv, Baha Mar, Grand Bahama Port Authority and Grand Lucayan.