2023 Las Vegas Aces season
27th season of the WNBA
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The 2023 Las Vegas Aces season was the franchise's 27th season in the Women's National Basketball Association and the sixth year the franchise is based in Las Vegas - after relocating from San Antonio and Utah. This was also the second season under head coach Becky Hammon. They were the defending WNBA champions, after defeating the Connecticut Sun in the 2022 WNBA Finals.
| 2023 Las Vegas Aces season | |
|---|---|
WNBA champions | |
| Head coach | Becky Hammon |
| Arena | Michelob Ultra Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 34–6 (.850) |
| Place | 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | WNBA Champions (Defeated New York Liberty 3–1 in WNBA Finals) |
The Aces largely kept their team intact after their championship season, only trading away Dearica Hamby, but signing former WNBA Champions Candace Parker and Alysha Clark in the offseason. This continuity proved positive in the first month of the season as the Aces went 4–0 in May. Their winning streak continued and went to seven games before they lost their first game of the season on June 8 to the Connecticut Sun. After the loss, they went on another seven game winning streak, and finished June 10–1. The winning streak continued into July, but ended on the third game of the month with a loss to Dallas. After the nine game winning streak, the Aces again won out in the month, finishing on a seven game winning streak, and finishing July with a 10–1 record. They managed to get their winning streak to eleven before losing to the New York Liberty on August 6. Their next loss would again come at the hands of New York, but this time it was in the Commissioner's Cup Final. The Aces defeated New York in the next regular season game, but would then lose to Los Angeles to end a four game regular season winning streak. The Aces won three of their next five games to finish August with an 8–4 record. During the month, they secured their playoff berth on August 2. They entered the final month of the season fighting with New York for the first seed. The Aces won all three games in September to secure the top seed on the last day of the season.
The Aces finished with a 34–6 regular season record, which was a franchise and WNBA record for number of wins.[1] This was also the first season where the WNBA played 40 games. Their .850 winning percentage was a franchise record but not a WNBA record. The Aces finished as the first seed for the playoffs.
As the first seed, the Aces faced off against the eighth seed Chicago Sky and would host the first two games of the three game series. The Aces didn't lose a quarter in Game One and took the game 87–59. The Aces dominated Game Two in similar fashion, not losing a quarter, and winning the game 92–70 to move on to the Semifinals. In the Semifinals, the Aces faced off against the Dallas Wings. The Aces would host the first two games of the five game series, and game five, if necessary. The Aces dominated Game One, only losing the fourth quarter, but winning the game 97–83. Dallas managed to win two quarters in Game Two, but the Aces won the game 91–84. Game Three, was much closer in Dallas, but the Aces used a strong second half to win the game 64–61 and moved on to the 2023 WNBA Finals.
In the Finals, the Aces faced off against the second seed, New York Liberty. The teams faced each other five times during the regular season, going 2–2 against each other, but the Aces lost the Commissioner's Cup. The Aces used a strong second half to win Game One 99–82. In Game Two, they dominated the first quarter, and again dominated the second half to win 104–76. The Aces only needed to win one of the last three games to retain their title. The Liberty clawed one game back in New York, winning Game Three 87–73. In Game Four, the Aces, as they often had in the playoffs, had a strong second half, and won the game 70–69. The Aces became the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002 to win back to back WNBA Championships, taking the Finals three games to one.
Transactions
WNBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 36 | Brittney Davis |  United States |
Alabama |
Transactions
| Date | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| January 21, 2023 | Traded Dearica Hamby and a 2024 First-Round Pick to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for the negotiating rights to Amanda Zahui B and a 2024 Second-Round Pick[2] | |
| February 1, 2023 | Signed Candace Parker to a 1-Year Deal[3] | |
| Signed Alysha Clark to a 2-Year Deal[4] | ||
| Signed Cayla George to a 1-Year Deal[5] | ||
| Signed Alexis Peterson and Courtney Range to Training Camp Contracts[6] | ||
| February 5, 2023 | Traded the negotiating rights to Amanda Zahui B to the Washington Mystics for 2024 and 2025 Second-Round Picks[7] | |
| February 6, 2023 | Waived Iliana Rupert[8] | |
| Signed Sydney Colson to a Training Camp Contract[9] | ||
| February 7. 2023 | Signed Kiah Stokes to a 1-Year Deal[10] | |
| April 12, 2023 | Signed Elizabeth Balogun to a Training Camp Contract[11] | |
| April 14, 2023 | Signed Brittany Davis to a Rookie Scale Contract | |
| April 24, 2023 | Waived Elizabeth Balogun[12] | |
| May 9, 2023 | Waived Aisha Sheppard, Courtney Range, and Brittany Davis[13] | |
| May 15, 2023 | Waived Alexis Peterson[14] | |
| June 30, 2023 | Signed A'ja Wilson to a Contract Extension[15] | |
| July 19, 2023 | Signed Ashley Joens to a 7-Day Contract[16] | |
| July 26, 2023 | Signed Ashley Joens to a 2nd 7-Day Contract[17] | |
| August 6, 2023 | Signed Alaina Coates to a 7-Day Contract[18] | |
| August 10, 2023 | Signed Alaina Coates to a 2nd 7-Day Contract[19] | |
| August 16, 2023 | Signed Alaina Coates to a 3rd 7-Day Contract | |
| August 23, 2023 | Signed Alaina Coates to a Hardship Contract[20] | |
Roster Changes
Additions
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Subtractions
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Roster
| 2023 Las Vegas Aces roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth chart
Schedule
Preseason
| 2023 pre-season game log Total: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0)
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| 2023 pre-season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
Playoffs
| 2023 playoff game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Round vs. Chicago Won Series: 2–0
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Semifinals vs. Dallas Won Series: 3–0
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Finals vs. New York Liberty Won Series: 3–1
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| 2023 playoff schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team |
W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 34 | 6 | .850 | – | 18–2 | 19–1 | 15–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | 2 | 16–4 | 15–5 | 17–3 | 7–3 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 27 | 13 | .675 | 7 | 14–6 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Dallas Wings | 22 | 18 | .550 | 12 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 6–4 |
| 5 | x – Atlanta Dream | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 8–12 | 6–4 |
| 6 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 12–8 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 5–5 |
| 7 | x – Washington Mystics | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 9–11 | 12–8 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 8 | x – Chicago Sky | 18 | 22 | .450 | 16 | 5–15 | 7–13 | 11–9 | 3–7 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 17 | 23 | .425 | 17 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 10 | e – Indiana Fever | 13 | 27 | .325 | 21 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–8 |
| 11 | e – Seattle Storm | 11 | 29 | .275 | 23 | 8–12 | 4–16 | 7–13 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Phoenix Mercury | 9 | 31 | .225 | 25 | 2–18 | 8–12 | 1–19 | 1–9 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from postseason contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Playoffs
| First round Best-of-3 | Semifinals Best-of-5 | Finals Best-of-5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | ||||||||||||
- Bold – Series winner
- Italic – Team with home-court advantage
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A'ja Wilson | 40 | 40 | 30.7 | .557 | .310 | .812 | 9.5 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 22.8 |
| Kelsey Plum | 39 | 39 | 32.4 | .475 | .389 | .912 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 18.7 |
| Jackie Young | 40 | 40 | 31.5 | .523 | .449 | .867 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 17.6 |
| Chelsea Gray | 40 | 40 | 32.2 | .490 | .421 | .897 | 4.0 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 15.3 |
| Candace Parker | 18 | 18 | 23.6 | .465 | .333 | .893 | 5.4 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 9.0 |
| Alysha Clark | 39 | 1 | 22.5 | .444 | .386 | .818 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 6.7 |
| Kierstan Bell | 36 | 0 | 11.8 | .346 | .244 | .600 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 3.7 |
| Cayla George | 32 | 0 | 8.5 | .288 | .234 | .000 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Kiah Stokes | 40 | 22 | 19.8 | .434 | .185 | .500 | 5.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.2 |
| Sydney Colson | 28 | 0 | 4.8 | .444 | .375 | .833 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Alaina Coates≠ | 10 | 0 | 3.0 | .800 | .000 | .250 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| Ashley Joens‡ | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A'ja Wilson | 9 | 9 | 33.2 | .554 | .500 | .831 | 11.8 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 23.8 |
| Kelsey Plum | 9 | 9 | 36.8 | .417 | .403 | .875 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 18.3 |
| Jackie Young | 9 | 9 | 34.8 | .421 | .415 | .914 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 16.7 |
| Chelsea Gray | 8 | 8 | 35.9 | .436 | .355 | 1.00 | 4.8 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 15.6 |
| Alysha Clark | 9 | 1 | 24.1 | .529 | .318 | .929 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 8.2 |
| Kiah Stokes | 8 | 8 | 26.1 | .563 | .500 | 1.00 | 7.9 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.8 |
| Cayla George | 8 | 1 | 6.0 | .200 | .250 | 1.00 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.6 |
| Kierstan Bell | 8 | 0 | 6.3 | .167 | .000 | 1.00 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Sydney Colson | 7 | 0 | 4.9 | .250 | .000 | .000 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Alaina Coates | 6 | 0 | 1.8 | 1.00 | .000 | .000 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A'ja Wilson | WNBA All-Star Starter & Captain | June 25 | [21] |
| Western Conference Player of the Week | June 27 | [22] | |
| July 25 | [23] | ||
| August 15 | [24] | ||
| August 29 | [25] | ||
| Player of the Month - June | July 5 | [26] | |
| Player of the Month - July | August 2 | [27] | |
| Player of the Month - August | September 6 | [28] | |
| Defensive Player of the Year | September 22 | [29] | |
| All-Defensive First Team | September 22 | [30] | |
| All-WNBA First Team | October 15 | [31] | |
| WNBA Finals MVP | October 18 | [32] | |
| Jackie Young | WNBA All-Star Starter | June 25 | [21] |
| All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 | [31] | |
| Chelsea Gray | WNBA All-Star Starter | June 25 | [21] |
| Western Conference Player of the Week | August 2 | [33] | |
| All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 | [31] | |
| Kelsey Plum | WNBA All-Star | July 1 | [34] |
| Becky Hammon | Coach of the Month - June | July 5 | [26] |
| Alysha Clark | Sixth Player of the Year | September 18 | [35] |