Jan Vandersloot, Mother Of Former Gonzaga Star And WNBA Veteran Courtney Died After A Two-Year Battle With Cancer: Jan Vandersloot, mother of former Gonzaga star and WNBA veteran Courtney Vandersloot, passed away this past weekend after a two-year battle with cancer. She had been diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma in July 2022. The sad news was announced before Thursday’s game between the New York Liberty, where Courtney plays, and the Los Angeles Sparks. In a poignant tribute, a moment of silence was held in honor of Jan Vandersloot, followed by a sellout crowd of 10,955 chanting “SLOOT! SLOOT!” in support of Courtney.
Jonquel Jones, who had a standout performance with 22 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, reflected on the team’s sense of family. “I think it just goes to show that we’re a family,” Jones said. “As much as we love basketball and understand that it’s a business and our job, it puts things into perspective and makes us realize there are more important things in life.” The Liberty went on to defeat the Sparks 93-80, dedicating their performance to their grieving teammate. “Ultimately, we want to support her,” Jones added.
“That’s through the organization, the fans, and us playing hard to ensure she feels supported and can take all the time she needs to recover fully.” Courtney Vandersloot has been listed on the team’s injury report and has missed the past six games, cited as being “out due to personal reasons.” Her absence has been deeply felt by the team. “We’ve been playing for her in many of our games now, and she’s a significant part of our team,” said Sabrina Ionescu, who led all scorers with 31 points. “Anytime we come together, it shows why we play and what’s truly important in life. Wrapping our arms around her and her family at this time is crucial.”
Vandersloot began the season trailing the WNBA’s all-time assist leader, Sue Bird, by 534 assists. In the nine games she played, she averaged 7.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello praised her point guard, stating, “Courtney Vandersloot is one of the best playmakers in the league. She helps us with our pace and is an essential handler for us.” New York is set to host the Sparks again on Saturday in Brooklyn before traveling to Atlanta for back-to-back games. They will then host Minnesota in Long Island on Tuesday. Brondello mentioned that Vandersloot’s return is being assessed “day-by-day.” “We know how much she wants to be here and play for us,” Ionescu said. “We are doing our best to play for her because she’s a huge part of this team, and we can’t wait for her to come back.”
