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NEW YORK (AP) — A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are poised for a possible three-peat as WNBA champions and continue one of the greatest runs in league history. They capped off a history-making regular season with a second consecutive championship and their core group of players — WNBA Finals MVP Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray — are all returning. She stepped up Wednesday when Las Vegas needed her most, playing without Gray and starting center Kiah Stokes. She was a major reason Las Vegas won 34 games in the regular season and went 8-1 in the playoffs. New York should be Las Vegas' biggest obstacle in the Aces bid to three-peat.

Persons: — A’ja Wilson, Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray —, ”, Gray, Candace Parker, Parker, “, ” Wilson, Cynthia Cooper, Dyke, Sheryl Swoopes, Kiah Stokes, “ We’ve, Alysha Clark, Becky Hammon, She's, Van Chancellor, John Kundla, ___ Organizations: Las Vegas Aces, WNBA, Gray, Aces, The Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, Houston Comets, Sparks, Chicago, of Famers, Las Vegas, Van, Comets, Minneapolis Lakers Locations: Vegas, New York, Las

Las Vegas did it without starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes, who were both sidelined with foot injuries suffered in Game 3. Las Vegas was also still missing veteran Candace Parker, who had foot surgery in late July. The Aces got the ball to Wilson on a lob, but Breanna Stewart blocked the shot, giving New York one last chance. After a timeout with 8.8 seconds left, the Liberty got the ball to Stewart, who was double-teamed. The first three games of the WNBA Finals were also routs, with New York winning Game 3 87-73 to stave off elimination.

Persons: A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kiah Stokes, Gray, Candace Parker, “ We’ve, Alysha Clark, ” Wilson, Jackie Young, Courtney Vandersloot, York's, Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu's, Becky Hammon, Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Stewart, “, we’ve, Sandy Brondello, ” Vandersloot, Betnijah Laney, Hammon, ”, ” Stewart, ” Hammon, Clark, Cayla George, Stokes, George, Ionescu, Sue Bird, Dawn Staley, Wilson —, Vickie Johnson, Sue Wicks, Jennifer Connelly, Issa Rae, Jason Sudeikis, ___ Organizations: Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, The Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, Houston Comets, Las Vegas, Aces, New York, Liberty, ”, Seattle Storm, New, WNBA Locations: Vegas, New, midcourt, New York, South Carolina

NEW YORK (AP) — Chelsea Gray is out at least for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals after suffering an injury to her left foot Sunday. The Las Vegas Aces star guard was wearing a boot on her foot and had it propped up on a scooter she used to get into practice Tuesday. I'm waiting for more information, it's not good,” said Gray, who was going to wait until she got back to Las Vegas for further evaluation. Las Vegas also will be missing forward Kiah Stokes, who had a boot on her right foot. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesGame 4 is Wednesday night in New York and Las Vegas leads the best-of-five series 2-1.

Persons: — Chelsea Gray, it's, ”, Gray, Kiah Stokes, ” Stokes, “ There's, ” Gray, couldn't, “, Becky Hammon, Stokes, Sydney Colson, Cayla George, Candace Parker, Riquna Williams, hasn't, — Gray, A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Hamby, ” Hammon, ___ Organizations: WNBA, Las Vegas Aces, Las Vegas, Liberty, Aces, Sydney, Nevada Equal Rights Commission, Commission Locations: Las Vegas, Vegas, New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Jonquel Jones and the New York Liberty wouldn't let the season end just yet. She scored 27 points and Breanna Stewart added 20 to help the New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 87-73 on Sunday in the WNBA Finals and force a Game 4. “She was huge for us,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said of Jones, who came to the Liberty in a trade in the offseason. BIG APPLE BASKETBALL IS BACKThis was the first WNBA Finals game in New York since 2002, when the Liberty were swept by the Sparks. No New York basketball team in either the NBA or WNBA has made it that far since.

Persons: — Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty wouldn't, Breanna Stewart, “, ” Jones, Jones, ”, Sandy Brondello, we've, Teresa Weatherspoon's, A'ja Wilson, Stewart, Betnijah Laney, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Becky Hammon, Kelsey Plum, Wilson, Angeles Sparks, ” Wilson, Adam Silver, Dawn Staley, Sue Bird, Tony Parker, Plum, Sparks, Hammon, ” Hammon, Vickie Johnson, Crystal Robinson, Sue Wicks, Weatherspoon, Richie Adubato, Sabrina Ionescu, Joan Jett, Jason Sudeikis, Michael Shannon, Robin Roberts, Lil, Kim, ___ Organizations: New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, WNBA, Aces, Liberty, Houston, Las, Angeles, Houston Comets, Seattle, New, ., BIG, New York, York, NBA, Nets, Knicks, Hammon Locations: . New York, Las Vegas, New York, York, New York City

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Sky announced they have hired Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon as the team's coach on Thursday, two days after her agent confirmed she agreed to take the job. “I’m excited to be a part of the Chicago Sky Family,” Weatherspoon said in a statement. Chicago announced at the end of the season, after it was eliminated from the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces, that interim coach Emre Vatanseyer wouldn’t return. New York is back there now for the first time since then and trails Las Vegas 1-0. Half of the WNBA’s coaches are now former players, including both finals coaches, Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon and New York’s Sandy Brondello.

Persons: Naismith, Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon, “, ” Weatherspoon, James Wade, Emre Vatanseyer wouldn’t, Wade, Vatanseyer, Teresa, Nadia Rawlinson, Weatherspoon, Becky Hammon, Sandy Brondello Organizations: CHICAGO, Chicago Sky, Naismith Hall of Famer, NBA’s Toronto Raptors, Chicago, Las Vegas Aces, GM, WNBA, NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, New York Liberty, Liberty, mater Louisiana Tech, Phoenix Mercury Locations: Chicago, . New York, Las

The Chicago Sky have an agreement in place with Teresa Weatherspoon to make her their next coach, according to her agent, Richard Gray. Chicago announced at the end of the season, after it was eliminated from the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces, that interim coach Emre Vatanseyer wouldn't return. New York is back there now for the first time since then and trails Las Vegas 1-0. Weatherspoon was a head coach in college, leading her alma mater Louisiana Tech from 2009-14. Half the WNBA's coaches are now former players, including both finals coaches, Las Vegas' Becky Hammon and New York's Sandy Brondello.

Persons: Teresa Weatherspoon, Richard Gray, James Wade, Emre Vatanseyer wouldn't, Wade, Vatanseyer, Naismith, Weatherspoon, Becky Hammon, Sandy Brondello, Andrew Seligman, ___ Organizations: Chicago Sky, Associated Press, NBA's Toronto Raptors, Chicago, Las Vegas Aces, Weatherspoon, GM, WNBA, NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, Naismith Hall of Famer, New York Liberty, Liberty, mater Louisiana Tech, Phoenix Mercury, AP Locations: . New York, Las, Vegas

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert joked Sunday she'll have to get new shoes now that the league has added one expansion team, with another most likely on the way soon. Engelbert has a pair of high heels with all of the WNBA team logos on them. The shoes will become a collectors' item in 2025 when the expansion team owned by the Golden State Warriors starts playing. “The goal is to add a second one, or 14th team, by 2025,” Engelbert said before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Portland had a WNBA team from 2000-02, playing its games at the Rose Garden before the franchise folded.

Persons: Cathy Engelbert, Engelbert, “, ” Engelbert, I've, Charlotte ,, Dearica Hamby, Becky Hammon, “ wasn't, ” Organizations: WNBA, Golden State Warriors, Oregon State, Los Angeles Sparks, Las Vegas Aces, Commission Locations: Denver, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Charlotte , North Carolina, Nashville , Tennessee, Portland , Oregon, Portland, Oregon

☆ WNBA Finals feature 'Superteam' showdown for the ages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Aces defeated the Wings 97-83. Mandatory... Acquire Licensing Rights もっと読むNEW YORK, Oct 6 (Reuters) - A "superteam" showdown fans were clamoring for tips off on Sunday as the defending champion Las Vegas Aces play a New York Liberty team hungry for a maiden major title in the WNBA Finals. The number one Aces lost twice MVP Candace Parker to injury in July but never missed a beat as last year's Most Valuable A'ja Wilson propelled Sin City to a WNBA record 34 wins. "We saw a different level of excitement in the off season this year because of the superteam narrative," said ESPN commentator and former WNBA All-Star Rebecca Lobo. New York coach Sandy Bronello said relief was her primary emotion as the Liberty eked out an 87-84 win in Game 4 against Connecticut.

Persons: A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Kiah Stokes, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, Rebecca Lobo, Wilson, Stewart, Lobo, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, They've, Jonquel Jones, Sandy Bronello, Brondello, Becky Hammon, Hammon, Amy Tennery, Ed Osmond 私 Organizations: Las Vegas Aces, Dallas Wings, Michelob, The Aces, Wings, New York Liberty, WNBA, Liberty, Aces, ESPN, San Francisco Bay Area, NBA, Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics, Connecticut, Phoenix Mercury Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, USA, Sin, San Francisco Bay, Las Vegas, New York

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty are poised to tip off their highly anticipated WNBA Finals showdown, a matchup of the preseason favorites projected to battle for the title. “This is kind of like our March Madness and anything goes,” Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson said. Las Vegas set an WNBA record with 34 regular-season victories this season. Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesA Liberty championship would be their first, and fulfill the hopes of the several blockbuster offseason moves. They also were opposing captains at this year's All-Star Game in Las Vegas, with Team Stewart winning by 16 points.

Persons: blowouts, A'ja Wilson, “, Angeles Sparks, Becky Hammon, Sandy Brondello, ” Brondello, Breanna Stewart, Stewart, you’re, Wilson, ” Wilson, “ I'm, STEWIE Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Plum, ”, Darren Waller, Ionescu, Doug Feinberg, ___ Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Famers, Aces, Angeles, Sparks, Houston Comets, Detroit Shock, Las, Las Vegas, Liberty, Commissioner's, WNBA, NCAA, UConn, Storm, Phoenix Mercury, Mobile, NFL, “ Go Giants, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders Locations: Las Vegas, York, Seattle, New York

Dearica Hamby filed a gender discrimination complaint last week against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, saying her former team and its coach, Becky Hammon, retaliated against her after she informed them she was pregnant. Hamby filed the complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday. That came after Hamby told the team she was pregnant with her second child. In May, Hammon refuted Hamby’s claims and said the Aces traded the two-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year because it was best for the team. Any team can trade any player for any reason or no reason at all.

Persons: Dearica Hamby, Becky Hammon, Hamby, Hammon, “, ”, Hamby’s, ” Hammon Organizations: WNBA, Las Vegas Aces, Nevada Equal Rights Commission, Opportunity, The Associated Press, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Post, Aces, Sparks, “, Players, Union Locations: New York

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Stephanie White was honored as the WNBA's Coach of the Year on Sunday after guiding the Connecticut Sun to a 27-win season and a No. The team also had to deal with a season-ending injury to key player Brionna Jones a month into the season. White received 36 votes from a national panel of 60 sportswriters and broadcasters. Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces received three votes; Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx and Tanisha Wright of the Atlanta Dream each received two votes. Political Cartoons View All 1163 Images“I think she's brought in a new energy for us,” Thomas said of White.

Persons: — Stephanie White, White, Curt Miller, Jonquel Jones, Jasmine Thomas, Brionna Jones, Latricia Trammell, Sandy Brondello, Becky Hammon, Cheryl Reeve, Tanisha Wright, Alyssa Thomas, she's, ” Thomas, of White, Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, ” White, Miller, Mike Thibault, “, Steph, ___ Organizations: Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Vanderbilt, Los, Dallas Wings, New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta, Sun, WNBA, ” Locations: UNCASVILLE, Conn, Los Angeles, New York

NEW YORK (AP) — A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will have homecourt advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs — a place they only lost once during the regular season. It wouldn't have mattered if the Liberty won that game because the Aces beat Phoenix to finish the regular season 34-6. “If you had said 34-6 to me back in May, I would have jumped at that in a second,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said. The other half of Las Vegas' bracket features fourth-seeded Dallas against No. The two teams played a thriller to conclude the regular season on Sunday that ended when Brittney Sykes put in a lob at the buzzer to lift the Mystics to a 90-88 win.

Persons: — A'ja Wilson, Becky Hammon, Brittney Sykes, “, Natasha Cloud, you’ve Organizations: Las Vegas Aces, Liberty, Aces, Phoenix, Dallas, Minnesota, Connecticut, Washington, Mystics, Los Angeles Locations: Washington, Las Vegas, Vegas, Atlanta, tiebreakers, Seattle, Phoenix , Indiana, Los

PHOENIX (AP) — Brittney Griner's return to the WNBA after nearly 10 months in a Russian prison hasn't always been the smoothest ride. One more joyful moment came on Friday night, when the 6-foot-9 Griner played her final home game of the season in front of an announced sellout crowd of 13,206. "I've really enjoyed being here, playing basketball, being with this group, being back in the Valley with the fans. “I'm just happy to be here, doing what I love.”She'll have one more game on Sunday in Las Vegas. Like Griner, Hammon also played for Russian teams during the offseason in her playing days and even represented the country in the Olympics in 2008 and 2012.

Persons: hasn't, Griner, “ It's, ” Griner, I've, “ I'm, ”, “, Viktor Bout —, Becky Hammon, Hammon, ” Hammon, Sydney Colson, I'm, ” Colson, ___ Organizations: PHOENIX, WNBA, Las Vegas Aces, Aces, ESPN, Mercury, Russian, Nike Locations: Las Vegas, United States, Texas, Russia

☆ Griner, 'superteams' in focus as WNBA season kicks off
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, May 17 (Reuters) - Brittney Griner is back in action for the Phoenix Mercury while the New York Liberty and defending champions Las Vegas Aces are expected to usher in the WNBA's "superteam" era when a new season tips off on Friday. "It was cool, and then at the same time, I was sitting there looking around, zoned out a little bit," said Griner, who will open her season on the road against the Sparks on Friday. I mean, these are some of the best players in the league," head coach Sandy Brondello told reporters this week. She will join reigning MVP A'ja Wilson and All-Star Kelsey Plum, along with two-time champion Alysha Clark, who also signed as a free agent. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Aces coach Hammon denies mistreating pregnant player
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The WNBA suspended Hammon for two games on Tuesday, saying she had violated "Respect in the Workplace" policies. The violation "was related to comments made by Hammon to Hamby in connection with Hamby’s recent pregnancy", the league said in a statement. The league also docked the Aces their 2025 first-round pick for offering "impermissible benefits" related to Hamby's contract extension negotiations. Hammon told reporters that while she did ask about Hamby's pregnancy, she never made derogatory remarks and that their relationship was amicable until she informed the former first-round draft pick that she would be traded. She took the reins in early 2022 after eight years as an assistant coach with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs.

☆ Aces lose 2025 first-round pick, Hammon suspended for WNBA rule violations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 16 (Reuters) - The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) stripped defending champions Las Vegas Aces of their 2025 first-round draft pick and suspended head coach Becky Hammon for two games without pay for violating league rules on Tuesday. Hammon, who took the reins last year after eight years as an assistant coach with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, was found to have committed a "Respect in the Workplace" violation with comments regarding Hamby's recent pregnancy. The investigation, however, was not able to substantiate concerns over the Aces' conduct during the off-season. The Next reported in February that The Aces were under investigation by the WNBA for circumventing the salary cap. "The Aces failed to adhere to league rules and regulations and have been disciplined accordingly.

☆ She’s one of the WNBA’s biggest stars. This is Brittney Griner’s stellar career so far
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Brittney Griner’s release from detention in Russia ends a nine-month ordeal and allows her the chance to restart her stellar basketball career. In total, Griner is an seven-time WNBA All-Star – only seven players in WNBA history have made more All-Star appearances. For many years, WNBA players have regularly gone overseas during the WNBA’s offseason to make the most of the higher salaries they can earn in international leagues. According to the New York Times, nearly half of the WNBA’s 144 players traveled to play abroad during the last offseason. “But negatively, there is a factor that you will be tired for the new WNBA season and this can cause injuries and, maybe, you’ll be out of the season.

☆ Liz Mills: How coach became the first woman to lead a men's basketball team in an international tournament
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But as the first woman to coach a men’s national team at a major FIBA tournament, Liz Mills must think of everything – even what she wears. Like many of us when watching a sports team, Mills thought that she could do better; but unlike most of us, she did something about it. Members of the network have experienced discrimination of all kinds, particularly those working in the men’s game. AS Salé was the first job in men's basketball that Mills was paid for. “I want to be the first woman to coach at the World Cup as a head coach of an African [men’s] team,” she asserts.

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