Jaelynn Brown Joins Panathinaikos from Connecticut Sun

Panathinaikos WBC has secured another impactful American player with the signing of Jaelynn Brown, a 26-year-old (born October 12, 1998) small forward/power forward. Brown, standing at 1.85m (6'1"), comes to Athens from the WNBA's Connecticut Sun.

 

Brown's career includes significant experience in various leagues worldwide, showcasing her versatility and quality:

WNBA: She played for the Dallas Wings in 2024 and is currently with the Connecticut Sun for the 2025 season.
European and International Clubs: Her professional career has taken her to Toulouse Métropole Basket (France), Norrköping Dolphins (Sweden - where she won a championship in 2022), Ludovika Csata (Hungary), Rize Belediyesi (Turkey), Astros de Jalisco (Mexico), Maccabi Haifa (Israel), Hatayspor (Turkey), Antalya Toroslar Basketbol (Turkey), and Dynamo Kursk (Russia).
Collegiate Career: She played college basketball at the University of California (2016-2020).
International Recognition: A significant highlight in her career is the silver medal she won with the USA 3x3 U18 National Team at the 2016 World Cup.

Brown shared her enthusiasm for this new chapter: "Every journey begins with a choice. Mine brings me to Athens. To Panathinaikos. It's not just a new team. It's a new chapter. A club with passion, history, ambition – and fans who live for every moment. I came to play with heart. To work hard. To write my own story in green. I am excited to play next season in the Panathinaikos jersey!"

She added: "It is a huge honor to become a member of a historic club with such a great tradition and fanatical support. I can't wait to experience the energy of the court, give my 100% on the floor, and help the team achieve its goals, both in Greece and in Europe. I have heard wonderful things about the Panathinaikos fans, and I can't wait to meet them in person and fight together in every game. Let's go PAO! I feel anticipation. We share the same flame for basketball. And I know something special is starting. Athens, I'm ready."

PAOK Signs JJ Quinerly

PAOK Women's Basketball has made a significant addition to its roster, announcing the signing of American guard JJ Quinerly for the 2025-2026 season. Quinerly, a recent WNBA draft pick, brings a wealth of collegiate experience and professional talent to the Greek club.

Born in the USA on October 24, 2002, JJ Quinerly stands at 173cm (5'8") and plays as a guard. She is a distinguished alumna of West Virginia University.

Expressing her excitement for this new chapter, JJ Quinerly stated on the club's official website, acpaok.gr: "I'm thrilled for this new experience in a new basketball culture. I give everything to this sport, having started playing basketball in third grade. I look forward to bringing that energy for PAOK fans, my teammates, and my coaches."

Player Profile

Ja'Naiya "JJ" Quinerly (born October 24, 2002, in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.) is a professional basketball player known for her exceptional defensive prowess, scoring ability, and leadership from the guard position. Her collegiate career was marked by numerous accolades, leading to her selection in the WNBA Draft.

Collegiate Career (West Virginia University, 2021-2025)

Quinerly enjoyed a stellar four-year career at West Virginia, consistently improving her performance and earning significant recognition.

Freshman Season (2021-22): In her rookie year, she averaged 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.3 steals in 24 minutes over 30 games (12 starts). She led the team with 68 steals, the most by a freshman since the 1995-96 season, earning a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

Sophomore Season (2022-23): Her production increased to 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.1 steals in 28.2 minutes per game. She led the team with 66 steals and was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and a First-team All-Big 12 honoree. She also recorded her first career double-double.

Junior Season (2023-24): She averaged 19.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.9 steals in 31.1 minutes. With 97 steals, the fifth-most in program history, she was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-Big 12 honoree for the second consecutive year. She also received WBCA All-American honorable mention and was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award semifinalist.

Senior Season (2024-25): In her final collegiate season, Quinerly averaged 20.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 3.0 steals in 31.3 minutes. She ranked second in the Big 12 in steals per game and led West Virginia to the best scoring defense in the conference. She earned her second consecutive Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award and was a First-team All-Big 12 honoree for the third straight year, becoming only the second player in program history to achieve this. She also made the Big 12 All-Defensive Team for the third time.

Quinerly concluded her collegiate career with impressive totals of 2,016 points, 410 rebounds, 341 assists, and 328 steals. She became only the fourth player in West Virginia University history to surpass 2,000 career points and ranks third on the school's all-time lists for both points and steals.

Professional Career (Dallas Wings, WNBA)

Her outstanding collegiate performances led to her selection as the 27th overall pick in the third round of the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. In 14 games with the Dallas Wings, she averaged 3.3 points, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 rebound in 8 minutes per game, shooting 42% from two-point range and 37.5% from three-point range.

Athinaikos Signs Morgan Bertsch

Athinaikos has made a significant move in the transfer market for the upcoming A1 Women's season, announcing the signing of American forward Morgan Bertsch. The 28-year-old, standing at 1.92 meters (6'4"), is set to bolster the team's frontcourt.

The club's announcement playfully alluded to a high-profile basketball transfer, stating: "If Vasilije Micic can cause a stir with his arrival, so can we!" This bold statement signals Athinaikos's ambitious intentions for the new season.

The official club statement read: "Athinaikos continues to strengthen its roster with Morgan Bertsch coming to provide solutions both near and far from the basket. The managing committee of Athinaikos Qualco gladly welcomes Morgan Bertsch, who will bolster our team, but WILL NOT participate in the 3x3 in Syros. The American forward comes from an outstanding season with Hozono Global Jairis, with whom she won the Spanish Cup and competed in the league and EuroCup. Bertsch played in eight EuroCup games with 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on average, while in the domestic league, she had 13.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Morgan Bertsch has extensive experience in European leagues, having played for Spartak Moscow, Lublin, Gdynia, Mechelen, and Girona, and has also played (with excellent numbers) two seasons in the EuroLeague. She played in the WNBA in 2023 with the Chicago Sky and in 2024 with the Phoenix Mercury and Dallas Wings, and also participated in this year's Chicago training camp."

Player Profile

Morgan Bertsch (born April 20, 1997, in Santa Rosa, California, U.S.) is a versatile professional basketball forward. Standing at 1.93m (6'4") and weighing 78kg (173 lbs), Bertsch is recognized for her ability to score effectively from various spots on the court and her strong rebounding presence. She had a distinguished collegiate career at UC Davis before embarking on an extensive professional journey through Europe and the WNBA.

Career Highlights

Collegiate Success (UC Davis, 2014-2019): She was named Big West Player of the Year in 2019, earned First-team All-Big West honors three times, and was selected for the Big West All-Defensive Team in 2019.

WNBA Experience (2019, 2023-2024): Drafted by the Dallas Wings in 2019, she later played for the Chicago Sky (2023), Phoenix Mercury (2024), and Dallas Wings (2024), also participating in the Chicago Sky training camp this year.

European Veteran: Her extensive European career includes stops at Spartak Moscow (Russia), Polski-Cukier AZS-UMCS Lublin (Poland), Arka Gdynia (Poland), Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen (Belgium), Uni Girona CB (Spain), and most recently, Hozono Global Jairis (Spain). She's played two seasons in the prestigious EuroLeague Women.

Recent Season Performance

2023-24 (Chicago Sky - WNBA): Averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 30 games (14.8 minutes), with 43.6% shooting from three-point range.

2023-24 (Spar Girona - Spanish League): Contributed 9.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 29 games (21.7 minutes), hitting 39.3% of her threes.

2024-25 (Hozono Global Jairis - EuroCup Women): Had a standout performance, averaging 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 8 games (21.6 minutes). She was highly efficient, shooting 63.2% from the field, 53.3% from beyond the arc, and 93.8% from the free-throw line.