DHJ Quick Take: JJ Quinerly Returns From Knee Injury for Dallas Wings
JJ Quinerly played her first game since Aug. 20, 2025, in Tuesday’s 76-100 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, returning nearly nine months after meniscus surgery. She finished with 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 block in 10 minutes.
- What happened in Quinerly’s return? She logged 10 minutes and recorded 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 block in her first appearance since a meniscus tear ended her 2025 season.
- Who helped her recovery? Quinerly credited head coach Jose Fernandez, the Dallas Wings training staff and veteran guard Odyssey Sims for guiding her through rehabilitation.
- Why does it matter? Quinerly was a productive reserve before the injury, averaging 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 39% from three.
- What’s next? Dallas hosts the Phoenix Mercury tonight, airing nationally on Prime Video.
ARLINGTON, Texas — JJ Quinerly made her first appearance since Aug. 20, 2025, in Tuesday’s 76-100 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
Quinerly suffered a meniscus tear during a match against the Los Angeles Sparks last season, which sidelined her for the rest of the year. After undergoing successful knee surgery on Oct. 2, 2025, she finally returned to the court nearly nine months later and recorded 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 block in 10 minutes of play against the Lynx.
“It just feels good to be back out there on the court,” Quinerly said. “I’ve been out for a good nine months now, so it feels good to be out there.”
A Promising Rookie Campaign Cut Short
Before the injury, Quinerly was emerging as a promising reserve, averaging 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 39% from three in 16 minutes per game.
The 27th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Quinerly’s scoring average ranked third among all active third-round picks that season and her three-point percentage led all active third-round picks during her rookie campaign.
Regaining Rhythm and Confidence
While her statline against Minnesota isn’t quite up to par with the production she showed before her injury, Quinerly acknowledges that regaining her rhythm and confidence will be a process.
“Me getting back to myself is probably gonna take some time, of course,” Quinerly said. “But getting that confidence back slowly but surely, leaning on the team and them being able to help me out, that’s good.”
Throughout her recovery, Quinerly said head coach Jose Fernandez and the Dallas Wings training staff played a constructive role in helping her navigate the mental and physical challenges of rehabilitation.
“(Coach Fernandez has been) just making sure that I’m good mentally and physically,” Quinerly said. “And then me talking with the trainers and everything, me staying on top of what I need to do for myself physically, while also being out here and able to watch the team and what’s going on (has been helpful).”
Leaning on Odyssey Sims
One player Quinerly leaned on most was veteran guard Odyssey Sims. Sims is somewhat familiar with Quinerly’s situation, as she dealt with a knee injury of her own during her second season with the Tulsa Shock (now the Dallas Wings), causing her to miss 10 games.
“(Odyssey Sims) just gave me advice to just keep my head up,” Quinerly said. “And just make sure I keep that confidence going, and if I ever need to talk, she’s someone I can talk to.”
Turning Focus to the Phoenix Mercury
Although Quinerly was happy to make her long-awaited return, the team’s performance against the Lynx left her more focused on the opportunity to bounce back tonight against the Phoenix Mercury.
“I hope some of us are a little angry,” Quinerly said. “I’m ready to go take it out on the other team. I think we kind of just need to put that game behind us and come in today and do what we need to do.”
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