Blazers Add Former WNBA All-Star Asjha Jones to Front Office Staff

The Portland Trail Blazers will be adding some championship pedigree to their front office, signing former Washington Mystics assistant coach Asjha Jones as their Director of Basketball Strategy, according to a press release from the Mystics’ head coach, Mike Thibault.

Jones profiles as both a former player and coach, winning at the highest level in each category. Along with assisting the Mystics, Jones is a former two-time WNBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, NCAA champion, and former WNBA champion with the Connecticut Huskies in 2002 and the Minnesota Lynx in 2015. More recently, she helped develop players as an assistant for a Mystics team that won the WNBA Finals in 2019. Jones carved out a 12-year career, largely due to her back-to-basket and face-up game, as well as her pick-and-pop shooting ability.

As noted in the press release, Jones is the only woman in basketball history with an NCAA and WNBA title, a gold medal in the Olympics and World Championships, and a WNBA title as an assistant coach. In that statement, current Mystics head coach Mike Thibault had this to say:

“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.”

Welcome to Rip City, Asjha!