CHICAGO (AP) — It was an emotional night for Jonquel Jones as she won MVP honors at the WNBA All-Star Game and dedicated the award to her aunt, who recently died.
Jones fell just short of the second triple-double in WNBA All-Star history with 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to help Team Spoon top Team Coop 129-122.
“My aunt meant a lot to me, she was one of the matriarchs in our family,” Jones said. “Lot of great family parties and get togethers that happened at our house. My best memories were being in the kitchen and making great food for us. Show her love in that way.”
Jones said she talked to her family about coming to All-Star weekend and they gave her permission. Jones said that her aunt was going to be cremated and her ashes spread at a later date, which made it easier for Jones to play on Saturday.
The Liberty star also got emotional in apologizing for comments she made on a livestream which insinuated that Minnesota should have won the WNBA title in 2024 instead of New York.
“New York means a lot to me, the organization means a lot to me, our locker room, our chemistry what we’ve built,” she said. "I never want to misrepresent that. I never want people to feel like I wasn't putting my best foot forward to our team and I apologize.”
Jones' effort came a year after Skylar Diggins had the first triple-double in the league's All-Star history. The New York Liberty star, playing in her sixth All-Star Game, came off the bench and had her incredible night in just 22 minutes. She had nine points, seven rebounds and six assists by the end of the first half.
She was dominant in the third quarter, scoring eight points to help Team Spoon take command for good. Jones said that coach Cheryl Reeve told her she was a few assists away from the triple-double in the fourth quarter.
“Run some plays to get it done, it didn't happen, but that's OK,” Jones said.
It was a memorable weekend for Jones as she met one of her idols, former President Barack Obama, at practice Friday. Jones even got the former President to play defense on her for a few seconds.
New York means a lot to me, organization means a lot to me, our locker room, our chemistry what we’ve built, never want to misrepresent that. I never want people to feel like I was putting my best foot forward to our team and I apologize.”
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Team Spoon's Jonquel Jones, right, guards against Team Coop's Dominique Malonga during the second half of a WNBA All-Star basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Team Spoon's Jonquel Jones, left, and Team Coop's Natasha Howard, right, battle for a rebound during the second half of a WNBA All-Star basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Team Spoon's Jonquel Jones smiles as she holds up the MVP trophy after Team Spoon defeated Team Cooper in a WNBA All-Star basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marvel Studios used its Comic-Con International presentation Saturday to announce David Jonsson as the new Black Panther — the son of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa — and reveal that Ryan Gosling will be playing Ghost Rider, both in films set for release in 2028.
Jonsson joined Oscar-winning “Black Panther” franchise director Ryan Coogler on stage alongside Letitia Wright and Winston Duke, holding his hand to his chest and smiling broadly. “Black Panther III” is set for release Dec. 15, 2028.
“Thank you to this family that I have the honor and the blessing to join. I don’t want to say too much, because I want to let the screen do the talking,” said the 32-year-old actor, known for roles in “Industry,” “The Long Walk” and “Alien: Romulus.”
Boseman died in 2020, and ever since 2022's “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” revealed that T’Challa had a son, fans have been playing a guessing game of who might take over the mantle, with Damson Idris and Wright in the mix. The original 2018 “Black Panther” became the first superhero film to earn a best picture Oscar nomination and made more than $1.3 billion worldwide, while the sequel earned $850 million.
Gosling will re-team with his “Star Wars: Starfighter” director Shawn Levy on “Ghost Rider.”
“I’m having the greatest flashback vibes being here,” said Levy in reference to his appearance at Hall H two years ago to promote “Deadpool & Wolverine," which became a massive hit. “I’ll never forget that night because it was also my real introduction to the greatest fans anywhere.”
Gosling greeted Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige and told the crowd that he’d wanted to play the character for a long time.
Gosling’s longtime partner, Eva Mendes, starred alongside Nicolas Cage in Cage’s original standalone “Ghost Rider” film, released in 2007 — a year before “Iron Man” kicked off Marvel’s cinematic universe. A sequel was released by Sony in 2012, and film rights have since reverted to Marvel, but the character hasn’t appeared yet in the MCU.
Feige told the crowd that Joe and Anthony Russo’s 2019 film “Avengers: Endgame” will be re-released in theaters on Sept. 25 with new footage linking it to the Russos’ “Avengers: Doomsday,” due out Dec. 18.
A “Doomsday” trailer played during the panel showed that Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom will have some past tie to Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby). Storm is seen saying that Doom is a broken person who used to be different: “Everything he loved was taken from him.” Later, Richards asks Doom if he's the one responsible for the horrors around them.
Downey Jr. joked on stage that Reed and Doom were “besties.” Fans have been curious about the connection between the two after “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” post-credit scene included a clip of Doom sitting in Reed and Storm’s living room with their baby.
“Doomsday” stars taking the stage included Wright, Duke, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Simu Liu, Danny Ramirez, Anthony Mackie, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer, Paul Rudd, Rebecca Romijn, David Harbour, Lewis Pullman and Tenoch Huerta.
Clad in a new gray Deadpool costume, Ryan Reynolds crashed the panel from the audience.
“Longtime listener. First time caller,” said Reynolds, asking Rudd why Thor was crying in the previous film. Rudd responded “He’s a Wrexham fan,” in reference to the soccer team that Reynolds co-owns.
"This seems like an awfully expensive way to announce a film. When do you start filming,” asked Reynolds.
“It’s in the can, bro! Did you bump your head?” said Downey Jr. from the stage.
Many fans waited more than a day to get inside Comic-Con’s most-anticipated panel. Marvel Studios hopes it will act as a reset for its brand, which has been diluted by an overabundance of Disney+ series and critics' disappointment in films like last year's “Captain America: Brave New World.” Though audience interest in superhero films has waned in recent years, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” — released by Sony in coordination with Marvel — is set to dominate the summer box office when it's released July 31 and ticket pre-sales have been strong for “Doomsday.”
Pedro Pascal, from left, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and Robert Downey Jr. attend a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
A general view of atmosphere during the Marvel Studios panel at Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Ryan Gosling, left, and Shawn Levy attend a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Ryan Gosling, from left, Shawn Levy, and Kevin Feige attend a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Ryan Gosling attends a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Ryan Gosling, left, and Shawn Levy attend a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Letitia Wright, from left, Winston Duke, Ryan Coogler, David Jonsson, and Kevin Feige attend a panel for Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Mike Rostad, from left, Heidi Rostad, and Joan Rostad of Sacramento, Calif., dressed as Doctor Doom, pose for a photograph during Comic-Con International on Friday, July 24, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Andrew Park/Invision/AP)
A general view of atmosphere during Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Andrew Park/Invision/AP)
