Life is sweet for the Las Vegas Aces. The proud franchise has had a banner year in 2022, earning the WNBA’s best record, winning the Commissioner’s Cup, winning the MVP, DPOY, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year, and bookmarked it with their first-ever championship.
The fantastic year has the Aces talking and feeling confident like any champion would in the wake of a banner year like they had. You know what they say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas; for reigning Finals MVP and point gawd Chelsea Gray, that statement couldn’t be more accurate. In fact, the former Duke Blue Devil let it be known right away that she plans on leading Las Vegas to back-to-back titles and seeing everybody at the same championship parade.
“We not done up in this thang, ya feel me? We still going,” Gray said per The Athletic. “That’s one. I’ll see y’all next parade.”
Yo this photo lowkey iconic 😂
— WSLAM (@wslam) September 21, 2022
(via @tashanreed) pic.twitter.com/vfrdOPSNgV
Kelsey Plum also felt the same way during the parade, as did general manager Natalie Williams. Aces owner Mark Davis was happiest of all. Davis has fully invested in women’s basketball after his record-hiring of Coach Becky Hammon and the phenomenal hirings of Williams and team president Nikki Fargas. Davis’ plan to build a 50,000-square-foot facility will be completed in 2023.
“To the greatest fans in professional sports: Las Vegas, we are world champions,” Davis said to the crowd. “It wasn’t an overnight journey. The WNBA and this franchise has been around for 26 years. But, over the years, we’ve had alumni, fans, staff, coaches that helped to build this organization to where it is today, and I want to thank every one of them because you’re a part of this.”
Kelsey Plum’s a lil lit pic.twitter.com/h5eHak4ZeN
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) September 21, 2022
Las Vegas will be a title threat thanks to their young core of talent. A’ja Wilson is 26-years-old, Jackie Young is 25, Plum and Dearica Hamby will be 28. Gray and Riquna Williams will be 30 and 32-years-old respectively; however, both guards have shown that they’re more than capable of firework performances when it matters most. Especially Gray, who won Finals MVP due to her tough shotmaking.
“We don’t play but we still gotta ring!!”
— WSLAM (@wslam) September 21, 2022
Nah this parade about to be wild 😂😂😂 @SydJColson pic.twitter.com/miyDBGYS3B
Next season, the Aces will look to be the first champions to repeat since the Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2000 and 2001.
