Having a three-peat in any sport is a near-impossible feat, and we were reminded of that once again. The Kansas City Chiefs fell short, the Golden State Warriors couldn’t pull it off in recent years, and even the dominant Las Vegas Aces came up short. Aces superstar and the current WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson had her say about why it didn’t work out for the Aces.
In an interview with Callie Fin, Aces superstar A’ja Wilson opened up about why the team, widely favored to win the 2024 WNBA title, stumbled in the semifinals against the eventual champions, the New York Liberty. Wilson didn’t hold back, in the interview she said, “It wasn’t a championship locker room.” “I mean, out the gate, going into training camp, I was like, ‘We ain’t got it.”
It wasn’t that A’ja Wilson doubted the talent of her teammates. Her former coach in college, the legendary Dawn Staley taught her a lesson that stuck with her. According to Wilson, Staley instilled the belief that a winning team should “look, sound, and feel a certain way.”
This offseason, A’ja Wilson found herself coming to terms with the loss of one of her most trusted teammates, Kelsey Plum, who made the decision to move on. Kelsey Plum took to Instagram to say an emotional goodbye to the Aces and their dedicated fanbase. She wrote, “A move from San Antonio. Bill Laimbeer. Marc Davis. Becky Hammon. Hall of Fame Teammates. Championships. All stars. Gold medals. It’s been an incredible journey to be a part of the Aces organization, and Vegas will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Reflecting on Plum’s impact, Wilson shared heartfelt thoughts, saying “(Plum) was our hard-nose player that did all of everything in the moment, whenever we needed her.” “In the locker room, she was always someone that spoke her mind. You need that honesty in the locker room. We’re definitely gonna miss her. But I’m also very happy that she is starting her journey in a new light that she wants. She wanted it, so I’m so glad that she’s getting what she wants, and I hope that she gets everything that she deserves.”
The blockbuster trade that sent Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Jewell Loyd rocked the WNBA world, but it didn’t stop there! The Aces faced more heart-wrenching losses, including fan favorite Kate Martin being scooped up by the Golden State Valkyries in the expansion draft. As if that wasn’t enough, all the other three unrestricted free agents Alysha Clark, Tiffany Hayes, and Sydney Colson left the team as well!
The changes didn’t stop with the players; the Aces’ management also underwent a major shake-up! General manager Natalie Williams bid farewell, and a wave of coaching staff departures followed. Assistant coaches Tyler Marsh and Natalie Nakase, both pivotal to Coach Becky Hammon’s success, left to pursue head coach roles elsewhere in the WNBA.
They have signed a few players to bolster the squad. Atlanta Dream forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is certainly a huge coup for the Aces. They have also gone on to sign Queen Egbo and Tiffany Mitchel.
A’ja Wilson believes that the Aces’ shortcomings last season were due to a lack of mentality that a winning team needs. With the dramatic roster shake-up and fresh additions this offseason, one would cautiously hope that the Aces have given A’ja the support she needs to lead them back to the top and reclaim that championship again!
