NEW YORK,Aug. 23, 2018 – Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones today was named
the 2018 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, earning the honor as the league’s top
reserve for the first time in her three-year career. Jones, who was voted last
season as the 2017 WNBA Most Improved Player, becomes the first player to win
both the Sixth Woman and Most Improved awards.
Jones received 20 votes from a national panel of 38 sportswriters and
broadcasters who selected the Sixth Woman of the Year. Chicago Sky forward
Cheyenne Parker finished second with eight votes and Atlanta Dream guard
Brittney Sykes was third with three votes.
To be eligible for the award, players had to have come off the bench in more
games than they started. Jones came off the bench in 18 of her 34 games this
season.
A 6-6 forward from the Bahamas, Jones helped the Sun post a 21-13 record in the
regular season, including nine victories in its final 10 games. As the No. 4
seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs, Connecticut will host the fifth-seeded Phoenix
Mercury in a second-round, single-elimination game tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET on
ESPN2.
Jones averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, a career-high 1.7 assists and 1.24
blocked shots per game this season. She tied for ninth in the WNBA in blocks and
ranked fifth in field goal percentage (55.0) and second in three-point field
goal percentage (46.7). With 50 three-pointers made, she surpassed her total
from the previous two seasons combined (36).
During the Sun’s 9-1 finish to the season, Jones averaged 18.5 points and 6.6
rebounds. That stretch included four games of 20 or more points for the
24-year-old Jones.
Jones was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the sixth overall pick in the
2016 WNBA Draft before Connecticut acquired her draft rights in a trade that
night. Last season, she was selected to her first All-Star Game, earned All-WNBA
Second Team honors and won the WNBA rebounding title.
In honor of being named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, Jones will receive
$5,000 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany & Co.
Below are the voting results for the 2018 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year and a
list of past recipients.
2018 WNBA SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
Votes Player Team
20 Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun
8 Cheyenne Parker Chicago Sky
3 Brittney Sykes Atlanta Dream
2 Danielle Robinson Minnesota Lynx
2 Azura Stevens Dallas Wings
1 Alex Bentley Atlanta Dream
1 Jordin Canada Seattle Storm
1 Essence Carson Los Angeles Sparks
ALL-TIME WNBA SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Year Player Team
2018 Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun
2017 Sugar Rodgers New York Liberty
2016 Jantel Lavender Los Angeles Sparks
2015 Allie Quigley Chicago Sky
2014 Allie Quigley Chicago Sky
2013 Riquna Williams Tulsa Shock
2012 Renee Montgomery Connecticut Sun
2011 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2010 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2009 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2008 Candice Wiggins Minnesota Lynx
2007 Plenette Pierson Detroit Shock
