The Las Vegas Aces started the 2025 WNBA season in unfamiliar territory.
They had just come off an uncharacteristic 2024 playoff campaign, falling short not only of a championship three-peat but also the WNBA Finals, as they lost to the eventual champion New York Liberty in the second round. The organization then traded away one of their day-one chemistry pieces in Kelsey Plum, bringing in a former champion and All-WNBA talent in Jewell Loyd in exchange. They then looked entirely out of character to start
2025. For most fans, it seemed like the writing was on the wall for the Aces, and their best days as a unit were behind them.
Through their first 20 games, they sat at a record of 9-11, and were only three games separated from a 27-point blowout at the hands of the Indiana Fever. Eight games later, they suffered a WNBA record-setting loss, falling by 53 points to the Minnesota Lynx at home, leaving them 14-14 on the season.
From that point forward, the Aces went on to win the next 16 regular-season games in a row, earning the the No. 2 seed in the playoffs before dropping just three postseason games—and none in the Finals—en route to another WNBA title, their third in four seasons.
They only lost three times in over two months, and now they have a third championship. There’s never been a turnaround that monumental in WNBA history—and, arguably, sports history.
Started from the bottom, now we’re here
The Aces did it. They really went from a team that looked as if they could miss the playoffs halfway through the season to finishing as the best team in the league, stamping their third ring in four years.
This team finds a way, again and again, to prove that no matter what moves are made or what is thrown their way, they somehow rise above and find a way to tap into their championship pedigree, no matter how far or close they may seem from being at a championship level.
There is a level of admiration for this entire team. Head coach Becky Hammon did an amazing job keeping the team intact through the ups and downs of this emotional season. Jewell Lloyd was thrown into a pivotal role with a new team after spending her entire decade-long career with the Seattle Storm. Chelsea Gray came back and had a healthy season after missing a large chunk of the 2024 campaign.
Jackie Young continued to get better throughout the season with increased responsibility. The bench showed up when it mattered.
And A’ja Wilson… well, she cemented herself even further as the greatest of all-time.
A’GOAT is solidified
A’ja Wilson has solidified herself as the greatest of all time.
She is the first player in WNBA history with an MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. In her eight WNBA seasons, Wilson already has notched:
- seven All-Star appearances
- five All-WNBA appearances
- five All-Defensive appearances
- four MVPs
- three WNBA championships
- three Defensive Player of the Year awards
- two WNBA Finals MVPs
- two Olympic Gold Medals
- an Olympic MVP
- a WNBA Rookie of the Year Award
- a signature Nike shoe
…and more.
Her prime is just now starting, and the trophy case is already overflowing.
Shoutout to A’ja and the Aces for getting the job done once again.
