If you watched the New York Liberty's 2025 season fall apart in the first round against the Phoenix Mercury, you saw a team that looked like a shell of its championship self. It was weird. Honestly, it was hard to watch the 2024 Finals MVP, Jonquel Jones, struggle to buy a bucket or stay in front of her assignment. She shot just 26.9% from the field in that series. For a player who usually dominates the paint with ruthless efficiency, those numbers felt like a typo.
Well, now we know why.
The latest jonquel jones injury update confirms what many suspected during that late-season slide. On October 20, 2025, just a week after the season ended, JJ posted a photo to her Instagram story from a hospital bed. She had a cast on her right leg. According to reports from Jackie Powell and other Liberty insiders, she underwent minor surgery to correct chronic ankle instability. This wasn't a freak accident; it was the culmination of a grueling season where her right ankle basically became her worst enemy.
The long road to that hospital bed
Let's look at how we got here. The trouble started way back in June. On June 5, 2025, against the Mystics, Jones went down with a sprained right ankle. She missed two games and tried to rush back, but you could tell she wasn't 100%. Then, on June 19, the nightmare happened. She re-aggravated that same ankle in a game against the Mercury. She walked off gingerly, but the damage was done. The team ended up sidelining her for 4-6 weeks, and she didn't really get back into a rhythm until after the All-Star break.
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The Liberty’s record with her? 8-1.
Without her? 4-5.
That tells you everything. When Jonquel is on the floor, the Liberty are a defensive juggernaut that concedes only 27.4 points in the paint. When she’s out, that number balloons to 42 points per game. You can’t just replace a 6-foot-6 unicorn who blocks shots and hits threes.
What the surgery actually means for 2026
The surgery was designed to fix "ankle instability," which is basically what happens when your ligaments get so stretched out from repeated sprains that they can't hold the joint in place anymore. It explains why she looked so "off" during the playoffs. If your ankle is sliding around every time you try to pivot or jump, you're not going to be the same player.
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Despite the surgery, JJ hasn't been sitting on the couch all winter. She still moved forward with her plans to play for the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. The procedure was "minor" enough that she was expected to be back on the court for overseas play by early February 2026. This is actually a great sign for Liberty fans because it means she's getting live reps and testing that ankle long before the WNBA training camps open.
The free agency elephant in the room
Here is where it gets tricky. Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu are all unrestricted free agents heading into the 2026 season. It’s a terrifying thought for New York fans. However, GM Jonathan Kolb has been very vocal about his "utmost confidence" that the core is staying put. JJ herself even said after the playoff exit that she intends to "run it back."
But the injury history is a factor now. At 32 years old, her health is the biggest variable in the Liberty's championship window. If that ankle surgery finally puts the "instability" issues to bed, New York returns as the favorite. If it doesn't, they might have to start looking at a future that doesn't rely so heavily on JJ playing 30+ minutes every night.
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What to watch for next
Right now, the most important thing is her performance in Turkey. If she can get through the Fenerbahçe season without any flare-ups, she’ll arrive in Brooklyn this spring with a fresh start. We’re looking for her shooting percentage to climb back toward that 50% mark and her rebounding numbers to return to the double-digit averages we’re used to seeing.
The Liberty have a lot of work to do. They need a new head coach after parting ways with Sandy Brondello, and they need to navigate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that has everyone in the league a little on edge. But none of that matters as much as the health of #35.
Keep a close eye on the Turkish league box scores over the next few weeks. If Jones is moving fluidly and asserting herself in the paint, the "ankle era" of 2025 might finally be in the rearview mirror.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Monitor the Fenerbahçe (EuroLeague Women) stats to verify her mobility and minutes as she returns to full-speed play.
- Watch for official New York Liberty free agency announcements, as Jones's contract status will likely be tied to the team's medical evaluation of her post-surgery recovery.
- Check the WNBA preseason schedule in April to see if the training staff places any restrictive "load management" protocols on her early appearances.