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Brionna Jones injury update: What happened to Dream star during Sun game and why did she not return?
Brionna Jones played her ninth game of 2026 against Connecticut after missing much of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery.
The Atlanta Dream secured a dominant 104-69 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night.
However, during the game, one of Atlanta’s players was forced to leave the court after playing limited minutes, raising concerns over a possible injury.
What happened to Brionna Jones?
Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones was unable to complete Thursday night’s game against the Connecticut Sun after suffering an apparent leg injury.
The incident occurred early in the second quarter at Mohegan Sun Arena. With Connecticut’s Nell Angloma driving toward the basket, Jones rotated over to provide help defense alongside Allisha Gray.
The 30-year-old forward successfully denied the attempt, swatting away the shot before Angloma could release it.
However, moments after making the defensive play, Jones appeared uncomfortable upon landing.
She immediately hopped off the floor and showed visible signs of discomfort. A nearby teammate checked on her as she attempted to shake it off, but the situation quickly worsened.
Jones exits with leg injury
Jones left the floor with 8:56 remaining in the quarter and headed directly to the locker room after being substituted out.
The Dream later confirmed that Jones would not return to the contest. She logged only four minutes, recording one rebound, one assist and one block before exiting.
Post-surgery comeback
The four-time WNBA All-Star only recently returned to action, making her 2026 season debut on July 17. Thursday’s appearance was just her ninth game of the year after spending much of the season recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Since returning to action, Jones has averaged 9.3 points while shooting 52.9% from the field, along with 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
The Dream star underwent a procedure on her right knee after suffering a torn meniscus while playing overseas for Czech club USK Praha during the offseason. The injury required surgery and delayed the start of her campaign with Atlanta.
A season ago, Jones was a key fixture in the Dream lineup, starting all 44 games for the franchise.
Increased role in doubt
Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko had previously indicated that Brionna Jones was in line for an increased workload as she continued to work her way back into regular playing time.
"We're looking forward to playing (Jones) more minutes. I think that's definitely in her future." Smesko said.
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However, Jones’ latest leg injury could now complicate those plans and raise fresh questions about how quickly the Dream will be able to increase her minutes.
