The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones, WNBA champion and MVP, said she and her fiancée received a “second-to-none” reception throughout her homecoming tour.

Her comment  came after she made a series of tweets on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, in which she addressed public discourse about the presence of her fiancée at various events during her tour.

“I would say that the reception has been extremely welcoming and I think that was probably the only thing that I was worried about when I tweeted what I did tweet is that I didn’t want it to be overshadowed by all of the great receptions and the way that we have been received,” she said during a press conference. 

“You know, like, I think it’s been second to none. I think it’s been amazing, but I know that there’s a little bit of noise in the market as well, and I’d be remiss not to use my platform to be able to speak out and say the things that I want to say and then just leave it at that, but the welcome has been amazing, people have opened the door for us and welcomed us with open arms, and so it really has been great.”

 On Sunday, Ms Jones wrote on Twitter: “I am who I am take it or leave it. My fiancée is a pillar and a big part of why I’m successful. If you don’t want me to thank her, then don’t bring me around. I’m not hiding who I am for anyone.. das it and das all.”  

 In another tweet, she said: “With all that being said, thank you so much to all the people that have made me and my fiancée feel welcomed and loved! We see it and we appreciate it so much.”

 During the press conference, Ms Jones declined to clarify what triggered the series of tweets, saying: “I feel like I addressed it and I said what I needed to say, but, you know, the noise in the market, you can figure it out for yourself, but I just wanted to just reiterate where I stand and how I felt.”

 Her tweets appeared to come after a viral voice note claimed she had introduced her fiancée during a school visit in Grand Bahama.

 The homecoming tour celebrated Ms Jones’s remarkable accomplishments with the New York Liberty, including her MVP season and recent championship title. Beginning on Thursday, November 14, in Grand Bahama, the festivities featured a parade, public meet-and-greet events, and special appearances by Ms Jones. The celebration concluded  with a Junkanoo rush-out, a press conference, and a basketball clinic for 50 young girls.

 Ms Jones has previously spoken about her sexuality and how it has hindered her marketability. She said she believed her sponsorship relationship with BTC ended due to her openly identifying as a lesbian and her “non-traditionally feminine” style of dress. Although BTC’s leaders later denied her assertions, she has been vocal about being overlooked as a marketable personality.

 Major sponsors for the events included Baha Mar, ALIV, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and the Grand Lucayan.

 Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg and Kimberly Furnish, Charge d’Affaires, also attended the press conference.

 “I’m so pleased to be here, and I’m even more pleased to have finally made a friend in The Bahamas who’s taller than I am,” said Ms Furnish. “Thank you so much. JJ, it’s really an honour. She’s a national treasure, and she’s what sports diplomacy is all about — it’s about building bridges, making connections, bridging our cultures, and, you know, she worked hard.”