Hats off to the Ladies of the Las Vegas Aces; you can officially label them as Champions! The Aces sealed their first WNBA Championship with a dominant performance against the Connecticut Suns in game 4 of the Finals (78-71), giving Las Vegas its first professional sports title.
An amazing feat, considering the journey that began nearly two years ago. After losing to the Storm in the 2020 WNBA Finals, new ownership took over the team in January 2021 which would change everything. Owner Mark Davis got busy with making key decisions. The first of his decisions was a commitment to build the Aces a state of the art 50,000 square-foot facility in Henderson, Nevada to be completed and functional for the 2023 WNBA season. The transition began with moving Coach Bill Laimbeer to an advisory role and hiring former San Antonio Spurs Assistant Coach Becky Hammon as the Aces head coach. The next move was hiring Natalie Williams as General Manager. The transition was complete, with all elements in place, the Aces focused on the players that would capture the championship which had eluded them for 26 years.
Coach Becky Hammon, in her first year set the precedent in salary with the first head coach to make a salary of $1 million. In addition, she is now the first coach in WNBA history to win a championship in her first year. With the core group of Wilson and Riquna Williams signed throughout next season, the future looks bright and ready for a repeat. Gray, Plum and 2022 Most Improved Player Jackie Young are secured through the 2024 season which returns the starting five. The Aces are loaded, led by two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, Finals MVP Chelsea Gray and WNBA All-Star Team MVP Kelsey Plum.
The Championship Parade
As the saying goes….. “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas”, and the Las Vegas Aces plan on keeping it that way! Thousands took to the Vegas strip on Tuesday to celebrate the Aces’ WNBA Championship. The strip between Bellagio Drive and Flamingo Road was on lock with fans lining both sides of the road to join in on the celebration. As the team rode down the strip in an outfitted motorcoach, the team was seen breaking out in celebratory dances and chants as the crowd cheered on. MVP A’ja Wilson sprayed the crowd with champagne as the event was amped.
“This community loves the Aces, and they’re just such a part of this community because they can relate with these women so easily,” “They take pride in what they’ve accomplished. … We’re sure going to enjoy this celebration.” – Governor Steve Sisolak
