What Will The Sun Do While Jonquel Jones Is Playing In Europe?
Nearly a month into the 2021 WNBA season, the Connecticut Sun are arguably the team to beat. At 8-2, the Sun have knocked off the title-favorite Las Vegas Aces twice and won four games by double-digits. Theyre tied for first in net rating with the Aces, boasting the leagues third-best defense and second-best offense. But now the team will really be put to the test. Jonquel Jones, the Suns leading scorer and rebounder, will miss at least the next four games as she competes for Bosnia and Herzegovina in FIBA Womens EuroBasket 2021 in France. It is possible that her spell with the national team could cost her as many as six WNBA games. The tournament could earn Jones team a spot in the 2022 FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup. Official Release: Jonquel Jones to Compete in FIBA Womens EuroBasket. Good luck JJ! We cant wait to have you back soon. pic.twitter.com/qW41RE4H0X  Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) June 6, 2021  The Suns winning ways have been a collective achievement but its no secret that Jones, the WNBAs MVP frontrunner, has led the way. Through 10 games, Jones is averaging 21.6 points per game on 56.8 percent shooting from the field and 48.9 percent shooting from three-point range. The 66 center is grabbing 10.4 rebounds, dishing three assists, and contributing 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, too. Shes been a two-way force. No single person can replace what Jones does on any given night, but the Sun played without her in the 2020 bubble, so this wont be entirely new territory. Brionna Jones role is sure to grow without Jonquel, as it did last season en route to a five-game semifinals showdown against the Aces. The 64 forward more than tripled her minutes per game on the year to 26.1 and nearly quadrupled her scoring output to 11.2 points on 60.5 percent shooting from the field (a 13.8 percent increase from 2019). Obviously, [shes] a big piece of the puzzle for us already, but even more intent to play through [Brionna Jones], Sun head coach Curt Miller said, according to The Hartford Courant. Obviously, you know establishing paint points has been a big part of our success this year. Playing in the paint, so Bri Jones again just will be magnified during this stretch without JJ.  Make sure to keep an eye on Natisha Hiedman, too. A third-year guard, Hiedeman, is off to a hot start this season, scoring 9.7 points per game with 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. She scored 12 or more points in three of the first four games of the season and is nearly doubling her three-point makes per game year-over-year. Shes a strong contender to close out the fourth quarter and maintain a four-out approach around Brionna Jones. Her sharp defensive instincts (17 steals in 10 games) could have the Sun running out in transition, too. She could be the x-factor to Connecticut surviving Joness absence.