Las Vegas Aces facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Las Vegas Aces |
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| Conference | Western |
| Leagues | WNBA |
| Founded | 1997 |
| History | Utah Starzz 1997–2002 San Antonio Silver Stars 2003–2013 San Antonio Stars 2014–2017 Las Vegas Aces 2018–present |
| Arena | Michelob Ultra Arena |
| Location | Paradise, Nevada |
| Team colors | Black, silver, white |
| Main sponsor | Ally Financial |
| President | Nikki Fargas |
| General manager | Vacant |
| Head coach | Becky Hammon |
| Assistant(s) | Tyrone Ellis Charlene Thomas-Swinson Larry Lewis |
| Ownership | Mark & Carol Davis (majority) Tom Brady (minority) |
| Championships | 2 (2022, 2023) |
| Conference titles | 1 (2008) |
| Commissioner's Cup titles | 1 (2022) |
| Retired numbers | 1 (25) |
The Las Vegas Aces are a professional basketball team for women in the United States. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is part of the Western Conference. The Aces play their home games at Michelob Ultra Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Their main office is in Henderson, Nevada.
The Aces won the WNBA Commissioner's Cup and the WNBA championship in 2022. They also won the WNBA championship in 2023. This made them the first team to win two championships in a row since the Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2001 and 2002.
The team started in Salt Lake City as the Utah Starzz in 1997. Then, it moved to San Antonio in 2003 and became the San Antonio Silver Stars. In 2014, their name changed to the San Antonio Stars. The team moved to Las Vegas in 2018. The Aces are owned by Mark and Carol Davis. They also own the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. Tom Brady is also a part owner. The Aces are one of only three WNBA teams in cities without an NBA team.
While in San Antonio, the team made it to the WNBA playoffs seven times. Many great players have been on the team. These include Becky Hammon, Sophia Young, Ann Wauters, Margo Dydek, Dearica Hamby, and A'ja Wilson. The team has played in the WNBA Finals four times. They lost in 2008 and 2020. But they won in 2022 and 2023.
Contents
Team History
Early Years: Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were one of the first eight teams in the WNBA. They started in 1997. The team's name was partly inspired by an old basketball team called the Utah Stars. The Starzz had a tough start. They had the worst record in the WNBA in 1997. This meant they got the first pick in the 1998 WNBA draft.
They picked Margo Dydek, who was 7 feet 2 inches tall. She was the tallest player in WNBA history. But even with Dydek, the team struggled in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, the Starzz finally had a winning record. However, they did not make the playoffs that year.
In 2001, the Utah Starzz made the playoffs for the first time. But the Sacramento Monarchs quickly beat them. In 2002, the Starzz made the playoffs again. They beat the Houston Comets in the first round. Their playoff journey ended when the Los Angeles Sparks beat them.
Moving to San Antonio
After the 2002 season, the owners of the Utah Jazz decided not to own the Starzz anymore. The team looked for new owners in Utah but could not find any. So, the team was sold to Peter Holt, who owned the San Antonio Spurs. The team moved to San Antonio.
The team's name changed to the San Antonio Silver Stars. Their colors became silver and black, like the Spurs. For the first four years in San Antonio (2003–2006), the team did not make the playoffs.
The 2007 season brought big changes. The Silver Stars got new star players like Becky Hammon, Ruth Riley, and Sandora Irvin. They also kept important players like Marie Ferdinand-Harris and Sophia Young. The team became a strong contender. On August 4, 2007, they made the playoffs for the first time since moving to San Antonio. They beat the Sacramento Monarchs in the first round. But they lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Finals.
In 2008, the Silver Stars were expected to be a top team. They had the best record in the Western Conference. In the WNBA Finals, they played against the Detroit Shock. The Shock won the series, and the Silver Stars did not win the championship. The team struggled in 2010, finishing with a losing record. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2012, they lost in the first round again. The team missed the playoffs in 2013. In 2014, they lost in the first round to the Minnesota Lynx.
Becoming the Las Vegas Aces
After the 2017 season, the team's owners decided to sell the team. It was clear the team would move. The NBA and WNBA approved the sale to MGM Resorts on October 17, 2017. The plan was to move the team to Las Vegas. They would play at the Michelob Ultra Arena starting in 2018.
On December 11, 2017, the team's new name was announced: the Las Vegas Aces. They got the first pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. They chose A'ja Wilson from South Carolina.
On January 14, 2021, Mark Davis and his mother Carol bought the team from MGM. They also own the Las Vegas Raiders. The league approved the sale on February 12, 2021. Soon after, work began on a new training center for the Aces in Henderson. It is next to the Raiders' facility. This 50,000-square-foot building is the first built just for a WNBA team. It has practice courts, offices, training rooms, and more. It was finished in April 2023.
In May 2021, Davis hired Nikki Fargas as the team president. On December 31, 2021, Becky Hammon became the head coach. She became the highest-paid coach in the WNBA. In 2022, the Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm in the playoffs. Then, they defeated the Connecticut Sun in the 2022 WNBA Finals. This win gave the team its first championship. It was also the first professional sports championship for Las Vegas.
On March 23, 2023, it was announced that former NFL quarterback Tom Brady bought a small part of the team. The Aces then defended their WNBA Championship in 2023. They won against the New York Liberty.
On March 6, 2024, the Aces showed off new uniforms. They also changed their colors to silver and black, matching the Raiders. The next day, the team announced they had sold all their season tickets for 2024. This was the first time a WNBA team had done this.
On May 17, 2024, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announced a special sponsorship. They would give each player on the 2024 Aces team $100,000. This sponsorship is separate from the team. The WNBA started looking into these sponsorships on May 18, 2024.
Season-by-season records
| Season | Team | Conference | Regular season | Playoff Results | Head coach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | ||||||
| Utah Starzz | ||||||||
| 1997 | 1997 | West | 4th | 7 | 21 | .250 | Did not qualify | Denise Taylor |
| 1998 | 1998 | West | 5th | 8 | 22 | .267 | Did not qualify | D. Taylor (6–13) F. Layden (2–9) |
| 1999 | 1999 | West | 6th | 15 | 17 | .469 | Did not qualify | F. Layden (2–2) F. Williams (13–15) |
| 2000 | 2000 | West | 5th | 18 | 14 | .563 | Did not qualify | Fred Williams |
| 2001 | 2001 | West | 3rd | 19 | 13 | .594 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento, 0–2) | F. Williams (5–8) C. Harvey (14–5) |
| 2002 | 2002 | West | 3rd | 20 | 12 | .625 | Won Conference Semifinals (Houston, 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (Los Angeles, 0–2) |
Candi Harvey |
| San Antonio Silver Stars | ||||||||
| 2003 | 2003 | West | 6th | 12 | 22 | .353 | Did not qualify | C. Harvey (6–16) S. Dailey (6–6) |
| 2004 | 2004 | West | 7th | 9 | 25 | .265 | Did not qualify | D. Brown (6–18) S. Dailey (3–7) |
| 2005 | 2005 | West | 7th | 7 | 27 | .206 | Did not qualify | Dan Hughes |
| 2006 | 2006 | West | 6th | 13 | 21 | .382 | Did not qualify | Dan Hughes |
| 2007 | 2007 | West | 2nd | 20 | 14 | .588 | Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento, 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix, 0–2) |
Dan Hughes |
| 2008 | 2008 | West | 1st | 24 | 10 | .706 | Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento, 2–1) Won Conference Finals (Los Angeles, 2–1) Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit, 0–3) |
Dan Hughes |
| 2009 | 2009 | West | 4th | 15 | 19 | .441 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Phoenix, 1–2) | Dan Hughes |
| 2010 | 2010 | West | 3rd | 14 | 20 | .412 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Phoenix, 0–2) | Sandy Brondello |
| 2011 | 2011 | West | 4th | 18 | 16 | .529 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Minnesota, 1–2) | Dan Hughes |
| 2012 | 2012 | West | 3rd | 21 | 13 | .618 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles, 0–2) | Dan Hughes |
| 2013 | 2013 | West | 5th | 12 | 22 | .353 | Did not qualify | Dan Hughes |
| San Antonio Stars | ||||||||
| 2014 | 2014 | West | 3rd | 16 | 18 | .471 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Minnesota, 0–2) | Dan Hughes |
| 2015 | 2015 | West | 6th | 8 | 26 | .235 | Did not qualify | Dan Hughes |
| 2016 | 2016 | West | 6th | 7 | 27 | .206 | Did not qualify | Dan Hughes |
| 2017 | 2017 | West | 12th | 8 | 26 | .235 | Did not qualify | Vickie Johnson |
| Las Vegas Aces | ||||||||
| 2018 | 2018 | West | 9th | 14 | 20 | .412 | Did not qualify | Bill Laimbeer |
| 2019 | 2019 | West | 4th | 21 | 13 | .618 | Won Second Round (Chicago, 1–0) Lost Semifinals (Washington, 1–3) |
Bill Laimbeer |
| 2020 | 2020 | West | 1st | 18 | 4 | .818 | Won Semifinals (Connecticut, 3–2) Lost WNBA Finals (Seattle, 0–3) |
Bill Laimbeer |
| 2021 | 2021 | West | 1st | 24 | 8 | .750 | Lost Semifinals (Phoenix, 2–3) | Bill Laimbeer |
| 2022 | 2022 | West | 1st | 26 | 10 | .722 | Won First Round (Phoenix, 2–0) Won Semifinals (Seattle, 3–1) Won WNBA Finals (Connecticut, 3–1) |
Becky Hammon |
| 2023 | 2023 | West | 1st | 34 | 6 | .850 | Won First Round (Chicago, 2–0) Won Semifinals (Dallas, 3–0) Won WNBA Finals (New York, 3–1) |
Becky Hammon |
| 2024 | 2024 | West | 2nd | 27 | 13 | .675 | Won First Round (Seattle, 2–0) Lost Semifinals (New York, 3–1) |
Becky Hammon |
| Regular season | 455 | 479 | .487 | 1 Conference Championship | ||||
| Playoffs | 33 | 37 | .471 | 2 WNBA Championships | ||||
Players
Current roster
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Las Vegas Aces roster
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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WNBA roster page |
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Former players
- Danielle Adams (2011–2015)
- Chantelle Anderson (2005–2007)
- Jayne Appel (2010–2016)
- Jennifer Azzi (2000–2003)
- Elena Baranova (1997–1999)
- Emma Cannon
- Helen Darling (2007–2010)
- Margo Dydek (1998–2004)
- Shyra Ely (2005–2006)
- Liz Cambage (2019-2021)
- Sydney Colson (2022–2024), now a member of the Indiana Fever
- Marie Ferdinand-Harris (2001–2007)
- Adrienne Goodson (1999–2004)
- Dearica Hamby (2015–2022), now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks
- Becky Hammon (2007–2014), now head coach of the Las Vegas Aces
- Tiffany Hayes (2024), now a member of the Golden State Valkyries
- Dena Head (1997–1998)
- Chamique Holdsclaw (2010)
- Shannon "Pee Wee" Johnson (2004–2006)
- Shenise Johnson (2012–2014)
- Vickie Johnson (2006–2009), now an assistant coach for the Atlanta Dream
- Kate Martin (2024), now a member of the Golden State Valkyries
- Kayla McBride (2014–2020), now a member of the Minnesota Lynx
- DeLisha Milton-Jones (2013), now the head coach for the Old Dominion University women's basketball team
- Wendy Palmer-Daniel (1997–1999, 2005)
- Jia Perkins (2011–2015)
- Erin Buescher Perperoglou (2007–2009)
- Theresa Plaisance (2022)
- Kelsey Plum (2017–2024), now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks
- Semeka Randall (2002–2004)
- Ruth Riley (2007–2011)
- Danielle Robinson (2011–2016, 2020)
- Sugar Rodgers (2019–2020), now an assistant coach for William & Mary Tribe women's basketball
- Olympia Scott (1998–1999)
- Michelle Snow (2010)
- Kate Starbird (2000–2002)
- LaToya Thomas (2004–2006)
- Ann Wauters (2008–2009)
- Natalie Williams (1999–2002)
- Sophia Young (2006–2015)
- Shanna Zolman (2006–2007, 2009)
- Tausha Mills (2003)
Retired numbers
| Las Vegas Aces retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Becky Hammon | G | 2007–14 | |
- Notes
Coaches and staff
Owners
- Larry H. Miller, owner of the Utah Jazz (1997–2002)
- Peter Holt, owner of the San Antonio Spurs (2003–2017)
- MGM Resorts International (2017–2021)
- Mark Davis (2021–2023)
- Mark Davis and Tom Brady (2023–present)
Head coaches
| Las Vegas Aces franchise head coaches | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Start | End | Seasons | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||
| W | L | PCT | G | W | L | PCT | G | ||||
| Denise Taylor | April 19, 1997 | July 27, 1998 | 2 | 13 | 34 | .277 | 47 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Frank Layden | July 27, 1998 | June 21, 1999 | 2 | 4 | 11 | .267 | 15 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Fred Williams | June 21, 1999 | July 6, 2001 | 3 | 36 | 37 | .493 | 73 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Candi Harvey | July 6, 2001 | July 26, 2003 | 3 | 40 | 33 | .548 | 73 | 2 | 5 | .286 | 7 |
| Shell Dailey | July 26, 2003 | October 30, 2003 | 1 | 6 | 6 | .500 | 12 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Dee Brown | October 30, 2003 | July 30, 2004 | 1 | 6 | 18 | .250 | 24 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Shell Dailey | August 10, 2004 | end of 2004 | 1 | 3 | 7 | .300 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Shell Dailey | Total | 2 | 9 | 13 | .409 | 22 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | |
| Dan Hughes | January 4, 2005 | February 25, 2010 | 5 | 79 | 91 | .465 | 170 | 7 | 10 | .412 | 17 |
| Sandy Brondello | February 25, 2010 | September 27, 2010 | 1 | 14 | 20 | .412 | 34 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2 |
| Dan Hughes | January 28, 2011 | end of 2016 | 6 | 82 | 122 | .402 | 204 | 1 | 6 | .143 | 7 |
| Dan Hughes | Total | 11 | 161 | 213 | .430 | 374 | 8 | 16 | .333 | 24 | |
| Vickie Johnson | December 22, 2016 | October 17, 2017 | 1 | 8 | 26 | .235 | 34 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 |
| Bill Laimbeer | October 17, 2017 | December 31, 2021 | 4 | 77 | 45 | .631 | 122 | 7 | 11 | .389 | 18 |
| Becky Hammon | December 31, 2021 | Present | 3 | 87 | 29 | .750 | 116 | 19 | 6 | .760 | 25 |
General managers
- Jay Francis (1997–2004)
- Dan Hughes (2005–2015)
- Ruth Riley (2016–2017)
- Bill Laimbeer (2018)
- Dan Padover (2019–2021)
- Natalie Williams (2022–2024)
Assistant coaches
- Greg Williams (1997)
- Fred Williams (1998)
- Michael Layden (1999)
- Candi Harvey (1999–2000)
- Richard Smith (1999–2000)
- Tammy Reiss (2001–2003)
- Bobby Morse (2002)
- Shell Dailey (2003–2004)
- Vonn Read (2004)
- Brian Agler (2005–2007)
- Sandy Brondello (2005–2009)
- Vanessa Nygaard (2008, 2021)
- Olaf Lange (2008–2010)
- Vickie Johnson (2011–2016, 2018–2020)
- Steve Shuman (2011–2012)
- James Wade (2013–2016)
- Joi Williams (2017)
- Latricia Trammell (2017)
- Kelly Schumacher (2018–2020)
- Tanisha Wright (2020–2021)
- Sugar Rodgers (2021)
- Natalie Nakase (2022–2024)
- Tyler Marsh (2022–2024)
- Charlene Thomas-Swinson (2022–Present)
- Tyrone Ellis (2025–present)
- Larry Lewis (2025–present)
Media Coverage
You can watch Aces games on TV through KMCC. This channel is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Before this, games were shown on KVVU-TV. At least ten games are shown on KVVU. Other games are on the Silver State Sports and Entertainment Network. KVVU also has a weekly 30-minute show about the Aces.
Some Aces games are also shown across the country. You can find them on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, Ion Television, CBS, and the CBS Sports Network.
If you want to listen to the games on the radio, you can tune into KWWN ESPN Las Vegas.
See also
In Spanish: Las Vegas Aces para niños
