The Las Vegas Aces celebrated their back-to-back WNBA championship with a ring ceremony at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Owner Mark Davis, coach Becky Hammon, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert were all present for the event.
Ryan Ruocco joins"NBA Today" and previews the first-round matchup between No. 4 Las Vegas Aces and No. 5 Seattle Storm in the WNBA playoffs. owner Mark Davis clapped his hands as he stood next to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. They both grinned widely as the celebration of the 2023 champions kicked off the 2024 season.
A'ja Wilson flaunted her ring in May, won a gold medal in August and likely will haul in other awards in the days to come, but still her season was anything but smooth. As the banner rose to the rafters, the Aces looked carefree and invincible. A month earlier, the WNBA held its annual draft and welcomedand the most-hyped rookie class in its history. But the message on this May day was clear: the present belonged to the two-time defending champion Aces.
Wilson, a two-time MVP, playfully sat up in her chair and scooted across the floor. She was listening. Intently. The WNBA hired Kobre & Kim to conduct its investigation into the LVCVA sponsorship deal, but has otherwise shared few details. The Aces played 12 games to start the season without Gray, who fractured her foot in Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA Finals. Her points per game , assists , and shooting percentage are all down from a season ago.is averaging 15.8 points, shooting 33.7% from beyond the arc and shooting just 43.0% overall. Last year, those numbers were 17.6 points, 44.9% and 52.3%. Plum hasn't fared much better. She averaged 18.7 points while shooting 47.5% from the field and 38.9% on 3-point attempts last season.
This is all happening while Wilson is breaking records. She is averaging a league and career high of 26.9 points. Her 1,021 season point total is the highest in WNBA history and she's the first player to break the 1,000-point barrier in a single season. If that's not enough, she also set the single-season rebound record . And that's with missing two games.
The booing continued. When Hamby dribbled the ball up the court after a rebound, a smattering of fans booed her. When she dribbled into the lane to attack the basket, fans booed and then cheered when she was fouled. When she hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key near the end of the first quarter, the crowd booed that too.
After she was traded, Hamby alleged on social media that she was mistreated and was promised benefits -- which she later revealed to be her daughter's private-school tuition -- that she did not receive. Women's National Basketball Players Association executive director Terri Jackson said Hamby consulted with union leadership prior to the trade. The union later asked the WNBA to investigate Hamby's allegations.
After some cajoling from Colson, the Aces dutifully filed onto the stage at MGM Grand Garden Arena. They had just returned from Phoenix after beating the Mercury that afternoon. Colson thanked her teammates for joining her by promptly roasting them.Wilson's mouth dropped open in surprise as she turned to the side, laughing. Clark let out a guffaw and Gray lost it next to Wilson."We got to tighten up," Colson added over the cheers and laughter from the crowd and her teammates alike.
"At the end of the day, we're human, so there are things that we feel, that we see and hear that have an effect," Clark said."But to be able to have a group of people to be vulnerable with, to sit down and talk with and that internal support. ... We don't need everybody in our business knowing what we're doing and talking about. We're about it behind closed doors.
WNBA Las Vegas Aces Championship Ring Ceremony A'ja Wilson
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