Dream’s Brionna Jones is putting fuel to fire following All-Star snub

Jones has been a consistent piece of the Dream’s production this season.

In her first season with Atlanta, Jones began the year with four consecutive double-doubles. She had back-to-back double-doubles against the Fever on June 10 and the Sky on June 13.

Jones’ patience, as well as the veteran leadership she and fellow Dream big Brittney Griner provide, is a settling force for the rest of the team in sticky situations.

With 7:32 to play in the third quarter, Jones made a turnaround layup while taking an elbow to the back from the Golden State defense.

Even with the Valkyries’ physicality, Jones muscled through pivoting into a layup and drawing a foul with 2:55 to play in the third. She drew a foul after getting hacked across the forearm on one offensive possession and tied the game for the Dream at 58.

“I believe she’s having the best season of her career,” Dream guard Jordin Canada said at the team’s practice Sunday. “So for her to not be named an All-Star is, it’s so disappointing. And I know she’s going to take this and use it as fuel. But of course, you want to be rewarded for what you’ve been doing on the court. And so, I just think it’s such a disappointment.”

But even when she’s not scoring, she’s creating opportunities for her teammates. On an offensive rebound over two Valkyries defenders, she found Allisha Gray on the wing for a wide-open 3 to answer a Kate Martin triple on the other end.

She accounted for over 71% of the Dream’s scoring in the third quarter as the Valkyries tried to regain the double-digit lead they held in the first half. But Jones’ 9 points, two assists and 6 points created from assists allowed the Dream to remain within two possessions of Golden State when the buzzer sounded at the end of the third quarter.

Jones contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in the Dream’s 90-81 win over the Valkyries.

“I definitely wish Bree would have been in there,” Griner said. “I think she’s so deserving of being an All-Star. She’s playing like an All-Star. Every night, she’s doing what we need. She’s making an impact. The other team is dreading her. So I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m not saying anybody should come out, but I’m just saying she damn sure is deserving, because she is putting in that work.”

Through 19 games, Jones is averaging 14 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Of the five forwards that lead the league in rebounding, Jones is the only player on a team with a winning record.

Atlanta currently sits at 12-7, the fourth-best record in the WNBA. They’ve won six of their last 10 games.

“She’s literally done everything on both sides of the ball, consistently,” Dream forward Nia Coffey said. “And one thing our coach is always talking about is doing things possession by possession. I think she does a really good job of that. So, she’s been really huge for us this year.”