“We believe in her,” were the words of former Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder as she signed an injured Ava Jones to the roster just months after her horrific accident in 2022. However, the 6-ft-2 forward never joined Caitlin Clark & Co. during her outstanding run in college basketball. Despite losing her father in the accident, Jones did her best to recover from what happened back in July 2022. Unfortunately, after two years of hard work, patience, and resilience, the hooper has decided to step away from the court.

Recently, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ official Instagram account shared Ava Jones’ letter to the world. While they left the caption of the post short and simple, saying, “A message from Ava Jones,” it was the words in the letter that may have brought tears to the shocked Iowa fanbase.

In her letter, Caitlin Clark’s former teammate announced that while she will continue to be under her scholarship and study at the University of Iowa, she is formally stepping out of the program. She ended the letter by saying, “I’d like to thank my family for the never-ending support and I am excited for the next chapter of my life.”

July 5, 2022, turned out to be the most tragic day for Ava Jones. She reached Louisville, Kentucky, for an AAU tournament with her father, mother, and brother. While they were walking on the sidewalk, an impaired driver crashed into them. Jones’ brother escaped any serious injury. However, the rest of the family did not.

Her father, Trey Jones, passed away in the hospital. At the same time, her mother, Amy Jones, suffered a brain injury and 21 broken bones. Ava too, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Moreover, she had torn ligaments in both knees and a shoulder injury.

Despite the injury that altered the hooper’s life, she promised the Hawkeyes fan base of her return. In fact, just four months after the accident, she signed a national letter of intent, officially signing up for the University of Iowa and Lisa Bluder.

Despite her best efforts, Ava Jones couldn’t get back on to the court

While signing Ava Jones four months after the accident, Lisa Bluder had mentioned how the Iowa family believed in her. The recently retired Iowa head coach also touched upon how her versatility was remarkable. Bluder also revealed that Jones was working hard to return to the athlete that she was before the unfortunate accident. In her words, “When she takes the floor for Iowa, it will be a special moment for all of us.”

Caitlin Clark’s former teammate is not someone who gives up on anything easily. Her words after the accident reflect that perfectly. She had said, “I could give up. But I’m really just not that type of person. My dad was not that way either. I don’t know any other way but to keep going.”

Although the rehabilitation worked out for the hooper, she followed her doctors’ suggestions to leave the sport. Following this, Jan Jensen spoke for Jones, “We wish Ava the best on the road to recovery and fully support the decision she made to step away from the game. She worked tirelessly to get to this point, but she made the best decision for herself and her well-being.”

The Hawkeyes are coming out of one heck of a season, filled with lights and eyes. However, an injury can always impact the best of the best. Hopefully, Ava Jones will find a way through her struggles.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.