Since immigrating to the United States as a teenager, Jonquel Jones has flown back to his home island in the Bahamas many times.
But nothing could have prepared her for the heroic welcome that awaited the WNBA Finals MVP last month.
Jones knew this trip home would be special.
It will be his first time back since winning the WNBA Championship aboard the Liberty.
A parade was planned in her honor.
She had scheduled school visits and a meeting with Premier Philip Davis throughout the week.
Knowing all this, Jones thought he would have some time to compose himself before the festivities began as he descended the plane ramp to collect his luggage at Grand Bahama International Airport.
But that wasn't the case.
Jones, his fiancée Denesha Keyshawn, teammate Bethniya Rainey Hamilton and several Liberty employees were greeted by a crowd of about 100 people outside the plane.
People Jones had not seen in years showed up to celebrate her return.
Some were waving Bahamian flags, while others proudly displayed handmade posters dedicated to Jones.
Music blared from the speakers.
“From that moment on, it was just a whirlwind,” Jones told the Post.
People reached out to touch her Finals MVP trophy. Children flocked to her and hugged her. Many people asked her for an autograph.
The parade through Eight Mile Rock near Freeport, Jones' community, may not have been as grand as the Liberty's procession up the Canyon of the Heroes, but it was just as meaningful, if not more so. .
“I was really happy that the island accepted me and sent me flowers,” Jones said. “Of course you know you're a role model. … But it's one thing to know that and another thing to feel it and experience the energy from your family and your community and the whole Bahamas. .”
Mr Jones' elementary school principal was unable to meet with him when he returned to the grounds where he previously lived.
However, she sent Jones a voice memo reminding her of the buzzer beater she made to help her school win a championship years ago.
“It was something I hadn't thought about in a long time,” Jones said. “It touched me and made me feel happy, and it was the starting point for an amazing journey. But none of us knew it. [at that time]we were exactly at that moment. So, that really touched me. ”
Jones has bounced around a lot over the years.
She played one season at Clemson before transferring to George Washington for the remainder of her college career.
She has been traded twice during her nine-year WNBA career since being selected No. 6 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2016 draft.
She also spent the offseason playing in South Korea, Russia, Türkiye, Mongolia and China.
Despite constant travel, Jones has maintained an inextricable bond with his homeland.
Her love for her hometown inspired the Nike KD17 sneakers she designed and wore at her hometown parade earlier this year.
“It means everything to me,” the five-time All-Star said. “The reason I put the islands of the Bahamas on the sole of that shoe was because I wanted every child in the Bahamas who could afford that shoe to look at it and think, 'Oh, this is it.' “This is the island where I was born.'' Try to imagine yourself. ”
Basketball in the Bahamas has grown in popularity since Nassau native Mychal Thompson was the top pick in the 1978 NBA draft.
But players like Jones and Buddy Hield have continued to fuel the growth of the sport there.
“It's amazing to see,” Jones said. “But I think this is an eye-opening experience for the Bahamian government. I think they should recognize the amount of potential we have in the Bahamas and the fact that we need more investment in sport.” I think so.”
A visit last month reminded Jones why she has made so many sacrifices over the past 16 years.
She hopes to continue to be a beacon of pride and inspiration for the Bahamas.
At 30 years old, she still has many years of playing time left.
She already has her sights set on helping Liberty become the fourth WNBA team to win back-to-back titles.
But for now, Jones is enjoying a well-deserved break before heading overseas to play for Chinese basketball club Sichuan Yuanmiraku. She said she has a chance to play in next month's inaugural year of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by teammate Brianna Stewart and Lynx forward Napheesa Collier.
However, after further consideration, she decided to use that time to rest.
“I felt like I took this time to be home to spend time with my fiancé, because I'm not here,” Jones said. “Just playing back-to-backs is tough. You really don't have any days off. So, you know, doing things, playing in unrivaled games, you get a little bit resentful, especially going into the WNBA season and getting the wrong timing. I didn't want to burn out.”
