{"id":35618,"date":"2025-07-25T06:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/35618\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T06:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:00:13","slug":"haley-jones-showing-promise-as-point-forward-for-wings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/35618\/","title":{"rendered":"Haley Jones Showing Promise as Point Forward for Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Haley Jones<\/a> has done it all for the Dallas Wings, from defensive rotations to pace-setting transition bursts to crafty scoring and passing in the paint. In a season marked by injuries and lineup churn, the third-year pro has stepped up, providing versatility on both ends and stabilizing a team still carving out its identity.<\/p>\n

She has become more than a plug-in role player. She is proving to be a tone-setter. In Dallas\u2019 87-63 win<\/a> over the Seattle Storm on July 22, arguably its sharpest performance of the season, Jones filled the stat sheet with 10 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks in 31 minutes. That followed a 12-point, five-rebound, three-steal outing in just 19 minutes against the Las Vegas Aces before the All-Star break.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been a spark off the bench,\u201d said head coach Chris Koclanes. \u201cHer pace and versatility really help us. Whether she\u2019s at guard or forward, she can push the ball, make plays, and give us another dimension offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haley Jones Considers Herself a \u201cPoint Forward\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones refers to herself as a \u201cpoint forward,\u201d a hybrid label that encapsulates the way she plays.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s kind of the umbrella for everything I do \u2014 I can handle the ball, create plays, rebound, defend multiple spots,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI feel like that term fits me best.\u201d<\/p>\n

That fluidity has helped the Wings push pace and dictate tempo. When Jones rebounds, she\u2019s scanning for an outlet, but just as often, she grabs-and-goes herself, using her guard skills to flow into offense. When that initial look isn\u2019t there, she slows the tempo, keeps the ball moving, and often sets up teammates with well-timed passes or quick reversals.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In an offense that emphasizes read-and-react, Jones\u2019 decision-making in dribble handoffs and spacing situations has tied possessions together. She keeps the ball alive without over-dribbling, plays off two feet as a finisher, and excels at passing out of the post or on the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, for me it was more about coming in and getting a few assists right away \u2014 getting the ball moving, helping the offense click,\u201d Jones said of her early rhythm against Seattle. \u201cThat got me into a rhythm. A couple of defensive plays, too, like blocks, helped me feel locked in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wings have felt that rhythm, too. In the 104 minutes Jones has played this season, Dallas has outscored opponents by 19.1 points per 100 possessions \u2014 their best net rating in any rotation. The team\u2019s pace with her on the floor spikes to 101.25, and their assist-to-turnover ratio surges to 2.31. The Wings simply play smarter and faster with her involved.<\/p>\n

Defense, Chemistry, and Direction<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 defensive presence has been just as impactful. She guards multiple positions, gets vertical without fouling, and disrupts actions with intelligent reads. Koclanes praised her attention to detail.<\/p>\n

\u201cToughness and intelligence,\u201d he said. \u201cShe\u2019s undersized at times but competes hard. She plays tendencies well, positions early, and stays disciplined. She\u2019s also great off the ball and helps organize our defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensively, Jones has helped set a higher standard. Her communication and ability to execute multiple rotations in a single possession have elevated the Wings\u2019 effort plays \u2014 a key factor in recent wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were more aggressive on the ball and communicated better,\u201d Jones added. \u201cI think our second efforts have really improved \u2014 those scramble situations, 50-50 balls, extra rotations. We\u2019re selling out more, getting rebounds, and not letting the offense control how we defend.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Jones also highlighted the team\u2019s growing offensive chemistry, pointing to how increased familiarity is translating to cleaner possessions and more efficient ball movement. After a stretch of lineup changes and limited practice time, she said recent sessions back in Dallas made a noticeable difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flow is definitely improving, and that\u2019s just from building chemistry and spending more time together,\u201d she said. \u201cThe ball\u2019s moving better, players are getting cleaner looks, and there\u2019s less one-on-one forcing. Even though there are still some stagnant moments, the growth we\u2019ve made says a lot about what\u2019s ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teammates have noticed her presence, especially as Dallas pushes through adversity and regains health.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaley\u2019s been huge for us,\u201d said forward Luisa Geisels\u00f6der. \u201cShe brings energy and plays with heart. She literally leaves everything on the court. I\u2019m really proud and happy to be her teammate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haley Jones is Thriving in Every Role<\/p>\n

This is Jones\u2019 second stint with the Wings this season. She signed a hardship deal in June, was waived when the roster reached full health, and rejoined the team on a rest-of-season contract in July. Since returning, she\u2019s filled multiple roles \u2014 from facilitating the offense to defending bigger players.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been about getting more comfortable \u2014 knowing the girls, understanding what I bring, and having clear communication from Coach Chris and the staff,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThey\u2019ve trusted me in different roles \u2014 guarding bigs, pushing in transition, making plays. That trust helps, and my chemistry with everyone \u2014 Paige, Arike, [Aziaha], JJ \u2014 it\u2019s all growing game by game.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That trust, both ways, is what\u2019s allowing Jones to thrive.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, whatever we need,\u201d said Koclanes. \u201cWith Myisha out, she filled that forward role. She\u2019s a Swiss Army knife \u2014 you can plug her in anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staying Present, Leading Quietly<\/p>\n

After a rocky start against Seattle, Dallas responded with poise, which Jones sees as emblematic of the group\u2019s mindset.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this team has a lot of resiliency and fight,\u201d Jones said. \u201cEven when we start out behind \u2014 whether it\u2019s against the Aces or tonight \u2014 there\u2019s no internal panic. We stay together, and you can see that on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wings still sit near the bottom of the standings, but players like Haley Jones have become a reason for optimism. She\u2019s not chasing numbers. She\u2019s keeping the game moving.<\/p>\n

And Dallas is moving with her.<\/p>\n

More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Haley Jones has done it all for the Dallas Wings, from defensive rotations to pace-setting transition bursts to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35619,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[2832,14744,2834,29249,29250,2833,99,434],"class_list":["post-35618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-arike-ogunbowale","tag-chris-koclanes","tag-dallas-wings","tag-haley-jones","tag-luisa-geiselsoder","tag-paige-bueckers","tag-sports","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}