The WNBA is at the halfway point of the season, and JJ Quinerly is carving out a role with the Dallas Wings. She has played well and is becoming one of the better rookies in the class thus far. The third-round pick is proving that the WNBA overlooked her abilities coming out of WVU. She has played the majority of the season and has recently started games as the Wings deal with injuries. Read more: JJ Quinerly All-Star Break Update.
JJ Quinerly All-Star Break Update
JJ Quinerly has started six consecutive games for the Wings alongside Paige Bueckers. She and Bueckers are a good combination at the guard positions, and Quinerly lets Bueckers play off the ball for points in the game. Wings’ guard DiJonai Carrington is dealing with an injury to her ribs, which has allowed Quinerly a chance to earn more minutes. She has taken advantage of the opportunity.
Related: WVU Athletic Director Baker Joins John Fredericks Wednesday
Quinerly Is Improving With Every Start
Quinerly has started six consecutive games and has scored double-digit points in every start. She set her career-high in points in her first three starts, and scored 16, 13, and 17 points in her latest three starts. She is averaging 16 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in her six starts. Quinerly became the first third-round pick since 1999 to start and score 15+ points in three consecutive games. Her potential is clear, and she will only improve as she practices alongside the likes of Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.
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Quinerly is shooting 45.9% from the field in those starts, which is above her season average of 44.5%. She is also shooting 41.6% from behind the arc. Her season average from three is 40.6%, so she is improving as she takes more shots, which is promising.
Her Defense Will Keep Her in the Rotation
Quinerly’s defense is her best attribute this season. She is a pest on the defensive side of the ball, which is not surprising to Mountaineer fans who have followed her since her freshman season in Morgantown. She is averaging 0.8 steals and 0.2 blocks per game this season, despite being 5-foot-8. In her six starts, she is averaging 1.8 steals per game and 0.5 blocks per game.
She has had trouble turning the ball over this season, but she is doing a better job since entering the starting rotation. Quinerly had five turnovers in her first start, but has had two or fewer in each of her other starts. She is averaging 2.3 turnovers per game in her six starts.
Outlook for the Rest of the Season
The Dallas Wings have struggled with injuries this season, but that has allowed Quinerly more opportunities, and she is taking advantage. Carrington has not played since June 20, but is starting to ramp up, preparing for her return. She partially participated in the shootaround before Wednesday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, but did not suit up. The Wings likely opted to allow her extra rest before the All-Star break.
Quinerly’s defensive tenacity and lightning-quick speed ensure her a spot in the rotation, even if she is not starting. She wreaks havoc on defense and gets a lot of easy looks in transition. She is tiny on the court relative to other WNBA players, but she makes up for it with hustle and speed.
