Player News

A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston cemented South Carolina as a national powerhouse, each leading the Gamecocks to an NCAA Championship and earning multiple National Player of the Year honors during their respective tenures.
As the only two players in program history to be selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft, their combined dominance in the paint redefined the standard of excellence. Take a look back at Boston and Wilson&#8217;s runs at South Carolina.
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<h2>A&#8217;ja Wilson (2014-2018)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257505" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257505" class="wp-image-257505" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds the NCAA trophy and celebrates with her team after winning the championship game against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs of the 2017 NCAA Women&#8217;s Final Four</div>
A’ja Wilson’s collegiate career at South Carolina was lamented with accolades, including being a 4x First Team All-SEC selection and a 3x SEC Player of the Year from 2016 to 2018. During that same period, she was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team three times and earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2016 and 2018.
In 2017, Wilson led the program to the NCAA Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the win over Mississippi State. By 2018, she received the Naismith College Player of the Year, the AP National Player of the Year, and the John R. Wooden Award. 
Wilson&#8217;s No. 22 jersey was subsequently retired by the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2025.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2017 Sweet 16: 24 PTS, 4 REB, 3 STL
2017 National Championship:  23 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK
2018 Round of 32: 25 PTS, 11 REB, 3 BLK
2018 Sweet 16: 20 PTS, 13 REB, 3 BLK
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<h2>Aliyah Boston (2019-2023)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257492" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257492" class="wp-image-257492" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Aliyah Boston #4 of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds a national champions sign after defeating the UConn Huskies 64-49 during the 2022 NCAA Women&#8217;s Basketball Tournament National Championship game</div>
Aliyah Boston’s career at South Carolina was marked by consistent statistical production and defensive output. She hit the ground running as she posted the first triple-double by a freshman in program history and the first by any NCAA Division I player in her debut with the Gamecocks in 2019.
In 2022, Boston was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award and the AP Player of the Year award. During that same postseason, she led the program to the 2022 NCAA Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after South Carolina&#8217;s win over Connecticut.
From 2020 to 2023, she was a 4x AP All-American, a 4x First-team All-SEC selection, and a 4x SEC All-Defensive Team member.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2022 Sweet 16: 28 PTS, 22 REB, 2 AST
2022 Final Four:  23 PTS, 18 REB, 4 AST
2022 National Championship: 11 PTS, 16 REB, 3 AST
2023 Elite Eight: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST

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Collegiate Spotlight: University of South Carolina

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A'ja Wilson Pours in 36 Points

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A'ja Wilson Drops Season-High 37 Points

Leslie threw down the WNBA’s first in‑game dunk on July 30, 2002, in a matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Miami Sol. 

First WNBA Dunk: Lisa Leslie

Jackson made history as the first international WNBA MVP in 2003, starring for the Seattle Storm during her award‑winning season.

First International MVP: Lauren Jackson

Brunson became the first player in league history to win five championships, earning one with the Sacramento Monarchs (2005) and four with the Minnesota Lynx (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017).

First to Five Rings: Rebekkah Brunson

Delle Donne completed the league’s first‑ever 50‑40‑90 shooting season on September 8, 2019, during a Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky matchup.

First WNBA Player to Join Exclusive 50-40-90 Club: Elena Delle Donne

Taurasi hit her 10,000‑point milestone from the three‑point line on August 3, 2023, in a Phoenix Mercury 91–71 win over the Atlanta Dream.

First Player to Reach 10k Career Points: Diana Taurasi

Ionescu faced Stephen Curry in the historic NBA vs. WNBA 3‑Point Challenge on February 17, 2024 at All‑Star Weekend in Indianapolis, scoring 26 points in the duel.

First WNBA Player to go head-to-head with NBA player at 3PT contest: Sabrina Ionescu

Clark recorded the first triple‑double by a rookie on July 6, 2024, posting 19‑12‑13 in an 83–78 win vs. the New York Liberty.

First Rookie to Record a Triple-Double: Caitlin Clark

Wilson earned her record‑breaking fourth MVP award on September 21, 2025, after a dominant season with the Las Vegas Aces.

First 4x MVP: A’ja Wilson

Photo Gallery

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		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
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Women's History Month: She Did it First

Black History Month

A&#8217;ja Wilson&#8217;s eight-year run in the league has been nothing short of phenomenal. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has built her career into a yearly showcase of Black history not just in the WNBA, but basketball altogether.
Take a look at Wilson’s era of dominance, shattering records and becoming the W’s only 4x MVP.
In 2018, the Las Vegas Aces selected A’ja Wilson with the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft. In her debut season, Wilson averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game, resulting in her selection as the 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year and a member of the WNBA All-Rookie Team. 
<div id="attachment_206582" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206582" class="wp-image-206582" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-scaled.jpg" alt="A'ja Wilson after being selected #1 by the Las Vegas Aces during the WNBA Draft 2018 on April 12, 2018." width="960" height="639" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-945489510-2048x1363.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson after being selected #1 by the Las Vegas Aces during the WNBA Draft 2018 on April 12, 2018.</div>
Her statistical production continued over subsequent seasons, leading to back-to-back WNBA championships with the Aces in 2022 and 2023. During this period, she earned two WNBA Most Valuable Player awards (2020, 2022) and consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honors (2022, 2023). 
During the 2024 season, Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to score 1,000 points in a single regular season. She finished the year leading the league in total points (1,021) and blocks (98), while ranking second in rebounds (451), which led to her third career MVP award. In 2025, Wilson secured her fourth WNBA MVP, surpassing the previous record of three held by Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson. That same year, she shared the Defensive Player of the Year award with Alanna Smith and led the Las Vegas Aces to their third championship in four seasons, where she was also named the WNBA Finals MVP. 
As of the conclusion of the 2025 season, the 29-year-old Wilson holds the WNBA record for the most career MVP awards (4) and is the only player in league history to win a scoring title, a league championship, Finals MVP, regular-season MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in a single season. Her 2025 statistical averages included 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, making her the first player to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in multiple seasons. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206577" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades.png" alt="" width="1440" height="1880" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades.png 1440w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades-230x300.png 230w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades-784x1024.png 784w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades-768x1003.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/accolades-1177x1536.png 1177w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" />

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Black History Month Player Spotlight: A'ja Wilson

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2-pointer by A'ja Wilson

Season Preview

The stage is set for the league’s 30th season! 
Following a historic 2025 season highlighted by the Golden State Valkyries’ debut, A’ja Wilson’s KIA MVP run and the Las Vegas Aces’ third WNBA title in four years, Season 30 is set to tip off on Friday, May 8, 2026.  
With the 2026 WNBA Draft (tune in to ESPN on April 13 at 7:30 pm ET!) and the debut of two additional expansion teams on the horizon, the momentum is high. Check out some of the early storylines and key dates to look out for in the action-packed 2026 WNBA Schedule.  
<hr />
<h2>Season 30 Tips Off  </h2>
The WNBA enters its landmark 30th season with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax on Friday, May 8, with a three-game slate. The action continues through the weekend with an additional three games on Saturday, May 9 and five games on Sunday, May 10, to kick off the 44-game regular season. 
Full weekend schedule: 
Friday, May 8 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">10 pm ET: Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm </li>
</ul>
Saturday, May 9 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 pm ET: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3:30 pm ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">9 pm ET: Chicago Sky vs. Portland Fire </li>
</ul>
Sunday, May 10 (5 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 PM ET: Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3 PM ET: New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">8:30 PM ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Golden State Valkyries </li>
</ul>
Season 30 is also highlighted with a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.
<hr />
<h2>The Home Debuts: Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo </h2>
The league is expanding to a 15-team field with the highly anticipated debut of the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Each team will make their home debut during the weekend of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax. 
Toronto: Friday, May 8 at 7:30 pm ET vs. Washington Mystics 
Portland: Saturday, May 9 at 9 pm ET vs. Chicago Sky 
<hr />
<h2>Aces Begin Back-to-Back Campaign, Revenge for the Mercury </h2>
The 2025 WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces will begin their campaign for another back-to-back title (previously taking home the chip in 2022 and 2023) with their first home game on Saturday, May 9, hosting a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury. The teams will face-off four times this season: 
Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Wednesday, June 17 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, July 11 at 4 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, September 24 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Battle of the No. 1 Picks </h2>
2023 and 2024 No. 1 overall picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark are the Indiana Fever’s dynamic duo. Soon, the newest top selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft will join the Dallas Wings and team up with the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers. The rookie duos will match up three times, with the first game coming Saturday, May 9. 
Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm ET (@ Indiana) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, August 20 at 8 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Presented by Coinbase</h2>
The sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase in-season tournament will take place Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 17. The Dallas Wings will kick off the two-game slate on opening night hosting the inaugural cup champions, the Seattle Storm. Following cup play, the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will go head-to-head in the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Who will be crowned the next Cup champion? 
<hr />
<h2 data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 takes Chicago<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> </h2>
The W is heading back to the Windy City! AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 will take place Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, hosted by the Chicago Sky.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> 
<hr />
<h2>Additional Key Dates: </h2>
Monday, September 1 – Wednesday, September 16: FIBA break 
Thursday, September 24: Last day of regular season 
Stay tuned for more updates around WNBA Rivals Week presented by Ally, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel and WNBA Finals dates!

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2026 WNBA Schedule Release: Key Dates and What to Know 

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces poses next to her signature sneaker brand as she arrives to the arena before the game against the Phoenix Mercury during the WNBA Preseason Game on May 6, 2025 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The A'One Birefcase

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball before the game wearing her new A'One Everlasting PE sneakers against the Washington Mystics on June 26, 2025 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nike A'One "Indigo Girl"

A detailed view of the shoes worn by A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces during the second quarter against the Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on August 27, 2025 in College Park, Georgia. 

Nike A’One “#1 Draft Pick”

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces signs autograph on Emma Cannon #32 of the Los Angeles Sparks shoes after the game on September 11, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Nike A'One "Leo Lights"

The sneakers worn by A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during a WNBA game on July 25, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Nike A’One “AKA” PE

A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces poses with a sneaker prior to the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

A'Ones at AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces wears her Nike A'One signature shoes as she warms up before a game against the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena on July 22, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nike A’One “Supernova”

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces shoots against the Phoenix Mercury in the third quarter of a preseason game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 06, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A'Ones in Action

the sneakers of A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces before the game against the Indiana Fever on June 22, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nike A’One “Unapologetic”

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces wearing her new A'One Nike sneakers in the first half of a game against the Golden State Valkyries at Michelob ULTRA Arena on July 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Nike A'One "Susie Carmichael" PE

Las Vegas Aces v Connecticut Sun

Jewell Loyd #24 of the Las Vegas Aces attempts a three point basket against the Phoenix Mercury in the second quarter of Game One of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 03, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nike A’One “Sequence” PE - for Jewell Loyd

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces hits a shot against Tina Charles #31 of the Connecticut Sun in the second quarter of their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on June 25, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

A'Ones in the Paint

Jewell Loyd #24 high fives A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces after winning the game against the Phoenix Mercury during Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals on October 3, 2025 at Michelob ULTRA Arena n Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Postgame A'One Duo

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WNBA Kicks: A'ja Wilson Edition

2025 Playoffs

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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-205369" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240353739-1.jpg" alt="A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates with head coach Becky Hammon after winning Game Four of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240353739-1.jpg 5315w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240353739-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
PHOENIX — For a while, Becky Hammon grew used to being overlooked. Not recruited by the biggest college programs, undrafted by the WNBA and perpetually passed over by NBA teams looking for head coaches.
It ate at her. Hammon is hypercompetitive, the product of a household that made everything into a game. Nothing was fun unless you were keeping score.
“No one ever picks me,” Hammon said during her first season in Las Vegas.
The Aces, however, did. They moved on from head coach Bill Laimbeer, who had won three WNBA championships and picked Hammon as their future coach, the person to lead them in their next chapter.
Now, Hammon is the standard of excellence in the WNBA, the owner of the greatest coaching record in finals history (10-2) as Las Vegas collected its third title in four years in a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6708093/2025/10/10/las-vegas-aces-wnba-championship-sweep-phoenix-mercury/" data-index="0">Friday night’s 97-86 victory</a>. She is one of four coaches in WNBA history to win three titles. The league’s newest dynasty is a product of her creation.
Hammon was a Hall of Fame player. She trained under one of the best coaches in NBA history, serving as an assistant under Gregg Popovich for seven seasons and having a front-row seat to the rapid evolution of the modern game. Her basketball bona fides and her understanding of the X’s and O’s are unimpeachable. Hammon knows how to push the right buttons on the court with her team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“This one hits different because it is different.” 🥹
— Becky Hammon after the <a href="https://twitter.com/LVAces?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LVAces</a> championship-clinching Game 4 performance.
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAFinals</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouTubeTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/dJv4I6RI5U">pic.twitter.com/dJv4I6RI5U</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1976882547650068953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
She coached a masterclass series against the Mercury. Turning to a zone defense in the second half of Game 1 suffocated Phoenix’s offense, denying Alyssa Thomas the middle of the floor and turning the tide of the game. The defensive adjustments on the Mercury’s middle pick-and-roll, with the guards digging in on Thomas’ dribble, continued to fluster Phoenix throughout.
In the third game, already armed with a 2-0 lead, Hammon went for the jugular. The Aces had poor starts in both of their wins, so she made a preemptive adjustment with a box-and-one on Kahleah Copper. It had the dual outcomes of helping her team lock in at the beginning of the game to implement a new defense and further confuse the Mercury’s offense.
“We ran into a team that has been through it together. We ran into a team that had the ultimate belief and trust that they could get it done as a unit with a great coach that has been through this,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said.
Despite winning with a sweep, this is arguably not even the best finals series Hammon has coached, considering she won a clinching game on the road in 2023 without two starters, designing a new scheme on the fly and trusting that her team would respond.
However, it was the intangibles Hammon brought to Las Vegas that allowed a team that was knocking on the door — a finals loss in 2020 and semifinals defeats in 2019 and 2021 — to push through into immortality.
The Aces love Hammon for her creativity and the specific ways she works with each player.
“She does a really good job of just finding ways to connect with each player, finding different ways for us to stay focused,” Aces guard Jewell Loyd said. “But also, it’s never boring, whether it’s an animal analogy and just finding ways to connect, whether it’s music, art or storytelling.”
Hammon’s father was a storyteller. She said he once told her and her siblings the plot of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” on a family road trip, but changed the names of the characters to the names of his children. He always wanted to make sure there was a lesson in every tale. Hammon has commissioned the Las Vegas content team to produce videos that tell a story for her players; none resonated more than a midseason feature titled “The Champions Who Lost Their Way.” on many occasions, Hammon went back to that video for motivation.
Hammon gave each player a plant with a special message on it at the start of the season. For Kierstan Bell, who had just lost her father, the message was to “keep choosing joy.” Most of the players didn’t have green thumbs and weren’t accustomed to caring for plants, especially with their itinerant lifestyles. But they honed in on a new challenge — Loyd, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray all bragged to Hammon on the championship podium that their plants are still alive — and ran with the metaphor all season of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6679057/2025/10/01/las-vegas-aces-wnba-finals-return/" data-index="7">being planted, not buried.</a>
When Las Vegas was struggling earlier in the season, she had the players watch the movie Thunderbirds, a film about the U.S. Air Force squadron. The goal was for the players to see blind trust in action, a feeling they were missing on the court. It was an ethos Hammon tried to reinforce with an egg-walking activity where players were blindfolded on a mat with their teammates and had to navigate to the other side backwards without crushing any eggs.
There are many other Hammon-isms in her inspirational toolkit: animal analogies, the acronyms and more. One of her pet words of choice is “grace” — each Aces player has to run her race and be given grace. The path may not have been what they expected at the beginning of the season, but it was their specific journey.
“It’s not just her basketball mind, it’s because she can form relationships and bonds,” finals MVP A’ja Wilson said. “That’s when you see winning cultures is when your leader is so poured into you. You want to win and play for her, so we’re grateful. Obviously, (Hammon) keeps bringing championships to Vegas, and we’re just happy to be on the ride.”
In the modern era of the WNBA, Las Vegas is the standard, the team the rest of the league continues to chase. Hammon may have come from humble beginnings, but there is nothing ordinary or overlooked about her story now.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/sabreena-merchant/" aria-label="Sabreena Merchant's Author Page">Sabreena Merchant</a> is a women&#8217;s basketball Staff Writer for The Athletic. She previously covered the WNBA and NBA for SB Nation. Sabreena is an alum of Duke University, where she wrote for the independent student newspaper, The Chronicle. She is based in Los Angeles. Follow Sabreena on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/sabreenajm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Follow Sabreena on Twitter">@sabreenajm</a>

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How Las Vegas Aces Coach Becky Hammon Became Architect of a WNBA Dynasty

Led by a record-shattering performance from 2025 WNBA League and Finals MVP A&#8217;ja Wilson, the Las Vegas Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury (4-0) in the inaugural best-of-seven Finals series in the 2025 WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV. The Aces concluded an unprecedented season with a historic Finals run, capturing their third WNBA championship in four years 
Check out some of the records and accolades the Aces collected through their 2025 Finals campaign.
<hr />
Game 2
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jackie Young tallied the most-ever points in an individual quarter of a WNBA Finals game (21 PTS in Q3)
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previously: Angel McCoughtry &#8211; 19 PTS in 3Q of 2011 Finals Game 1</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson &amp; Jackie Young (60) combined for the second-most points by duo in Finals history
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1. Jewell Loyd (28) &amp; Breanna Stewart (37) Game 1 of 2020 Finals (65 combined)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2. A&#8217;ja Wilson (28) &amp; Jackie Young (32)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-205338" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239057636-2.jpg" alt="A'ja Wilson #22 high fives Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces during the game against the Phoenix Mercury during Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Finals" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239057636-2.jpg 4428w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239057636-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239057636-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
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Game 3
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson (50) passed Napheesa Collier (48) for the most combined steals and blocks in a single playoff run
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1. A&#8217;ja Wilson &#8211; 55 BLK &amp; STL (12 games in 2025)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2. Napheesa Collier &#8211; 48 BLK &amp; STL (12 games in 2024)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">3. Tamika Catchings &#8211; 47 BLK &amp; STL (10 games in 2009)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson set the WNBA record for most total points in a single playoff run
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Top 5 all-time playoff scoring totals:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson: 287 PTS (11 games, 2025)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Napheesa Collier: 285 PTS (12 games, 2024)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Diana Taurasi: 245 PTS (11 games, 2009)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Brittney Griner: 240 PTS (11 games, 2021)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Maya Moore: 234 PTS (10 games, 2015)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson’s game-winning shot was just the fourth game-winning basket in the final second of the 4th quarter (since 2006) or second half (before 2006) of a Finals game, joining:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Alana Beard: Game 1 of 2016 WNBA Finals (0:00 4Q, LAS 78 MIN 76)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Maya Moore: Game 3 of 2015 WNBA Finals (0:00 4Q, MIN 80 IND 77)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Sabrina Ionescu: Game 3 of 2024 WNBA Finals (0:01 4Q, NYL 80 MIN 77)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-205339" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240122350.jpg" alt="A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the game-winning basket during Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury" width="960" height="720" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240122350.jpg 3600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240122350-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240122350-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2240122350-1536x1152.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<hr />
Game 4
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Las Vegas Aces finished 145-52 across regular season and playoffs dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season, the best in the league over that span:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Las Vegas Aces: 145-52 (.736)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">New York Liberty: 123-64 (.658)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Minnesota Lynx: 108-73 (.597)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Las Vegas Aces (2022, 2023, 2025) are the second franchise to win three championships in a 4-season span, joining the Houston Comets (1997-2000).
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">They are the 7th WNBA team to have at least 3 WNBA Finals Championships to their name, joining:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Minnesota Lynx (4)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Houston Comets (4)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Seattle Storm (4)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Los Angeles Sparks (3)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Phoenix Mercury (3)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Detroit Shock (3)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Las Vegas Aces finished the season 25-3 over their last 28 games, becoming just the 4th WNBA champion to do so and the first since 2014, joining some of the greatest teams in league history:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1998 Houston Comets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2001 Los Angeles Sparks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2014 Phoenix Mercury</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2025 Las Vegas Aces</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Becky Hammon (2022, 2023, 2025) becomes the fourth coach in league history to have three or more WNBA Championships, joining:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Van Chancellor: 4x (1997-2000)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Cheryl Reeve: 4x (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Bill Laimbeer: 3x (2003, 2006, 2008)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Among the six coaches with at least 10 Finals games coached, Becky Hammon has the highest win %:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Becky Hammon: 10-2 (.833)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Brian Agler: 8-5 (.615)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Cheryl Reeve: 17-13 (.567)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Bill Laimbeer: 10-9 (.526)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Sandy Brondello: 8-8 (.500)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Mike Thibault: 5-10 (.333)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jewell Loyd becomes a champion for the third time (2018, 2020, 2025) and is the only player in WNBA history to record a 10-0 record in Finals games.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Top 5 by winning % (min. 10 GP):
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jewell Loyd: 10-0 (1.000)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Sue Bird: 11-1 (.917)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Alysha Clark: 9-1 (.900)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Monica Wright: 7-3 (.700)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Penny Taylor: 9-4 (.682)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-205346" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239851880.jpg" alt="The Las Vegas Aces players holds up the 2025 WNBA Championship trophy after winning against the Phoenix Mercury during Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239851880.jpg 5388w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239851880-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson (114 PTS) tallied the most points in a single Finals series across WNBA history, passing Cappie Pondexter&#8217;s record set in 2007.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson &#8211; 114 across four games in 2025</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Cappie Pondexter &#8211; 110 PTS across five games in 2007 w/ PHX</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson (120) recorded the most rebounds in a single postseason across WNBA history, passing Jonquel Jones:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson: 120 in 2025</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jonquel Jones: 116 in 2023</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Alyssa Thomas: 114 in 2022</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson (28.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.0 BPG, 1 SPG) becomes the only player in WNBA Finals history to average 25+ points and 10+ rebounds across a WNBA Finals series.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson becomes the sixth player to win multiple WNBA Finals MVPs, joining:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Cynthia Cooper – 4x (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Lisa Leslie – 2x (2001, 2002)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Diana Taurasi – 2x (2009, 2014)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Sylvia Fowles – 2x (2015, 2017)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Breanna Stewart – 2x (2018, 2020)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"> She joins Stewart as the only player to do so before turning 30.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson is the first player in WNBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year, MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A’ja Wilson tallied her third MVP and third WNBA Championship since 2022, joining Bill Russell as the only players across NBA / WNBA history to total 3 of each across a 4-season span. Russell did this 3x in his career:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1959-60–1962-63</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1960-61–1963-64</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">1961-62–1964-65</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-205347" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/GettyImages-2239862404.jpg" alt="A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces poses for a portrait with the 2025 WNBA Finals MVP Award trophy after winning the 2025 WNBA Championship " width="960" height="640" />

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History: The Las Vegas Aces' 2025 Finals Accolades

Latest

A'ja Wilson

Career Highlights
<ul>
<li>2025, 2023 &amp; 2022 WNBA Champion</li>
<li>2025, 2024, 2022 &amp; 2020 WNBA M’VP</li>
<li>2025 &amp; 2023 WNBA Finals M’VP</li>
<li>2025 WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year</li>
<li>2023 &amp; 2022 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year</li>
<li>2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 &amp; 2020 All-WNBA First Team</li>
<li>2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019 &amp; 2018 WNBA All-Star</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://aces.wnba.com/aja-wilson-bio/">Click here for more on A’ja Wilson, including season-by-season, international, college and personal notes.</a>

Set to remain with Las Vegas

MVP season with Aces in 2025

Drops 31 in Game 4

Hits game-winner in Game 3

Postseason dominance continues

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