Former WNBA All-Star Asjha Jones Joins Blazers Front Office
Asjha Jones, one of the most decorated players in the history of women's basketball, has joined the Trail Blazers' front office as its new Director of Basketball Strategy. She becomes the team's first woman to serve in a basketball managerial role under President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
Jones was previously an assistant coach with the Washington Mystics. In a press release announcing the news, Mystics coach Mike Thibault praised Jones for both her professionalism and interpersonal capacity, calling her a "tremendous asset to the Trail Blazers organization."
“Asjha has been an important part of our success the past several years. While I am sad to see her leave on both a professional and personal level, I am excited for her and the opportunity in front of her in Portland,” said Thibault. “She will be a tremendous asset to the Trail Blazers organization. I have known Asjha since I first began coaching her in Connecticut in 2004 and she is one of the best all-around pros, on and off the court, that I have had the pleasure to be associated with. All of us here wish her well in her new job.”
Jones was selected by the Mystics with the fourth overall pick of the 2004 WNBA draft. She went on to play 12 seasons in the WNBA, making two All-Star appearances with the Connecticut Sun.
Jones, who also played overseas, retired from the WNBA in 2015 after helping the Minnesota Lynx to a championship, finishing her career averaging 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
As noted in Washington's press release, Jones is the only player in the history of women's basketball to win an NCAA and WNBA Championship as a player, a WNBA championship as an assistant coach, and a gold medal as a player in both the World Championships and Olympics Games.
She won NCAA championships with the Connecticut Huskies in 2000 and 2002, and gold medals with Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Olympic Games.
Last year, Jones told Carl Adamec of the Journal Inquirer that her evolving approach to coaching closely resembles how she worked to improve on the floor during her playing career.
“As a player, I was also a teacher. I made it my business to make sure what to do, how to do it, and to make things better,” Jones said. “But I’m still trying to figure out who I am, what I’m good at and what I’m not good at [as a coach]. Then I try to strengthen my weaknesses.”
Needless to say, that philosophy should suit Jones well in a franchise with the culture of Portland's.