A’ja Wilson, the three-time WNBA MVP and undisputed linchpin of the Las Vegas Aces’ dynasty, is sounding the alarm ahead of the 2025 season, warning that this year’s path to the top will be a lot harder after a dramatic offseason transformation.
Known for averaging a league-leading 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in 2024, Wilson’s sheer dominance earned her a unanimous MVP and cemented her status as one of the greatest to ever play in the league.
Yet, as the heartbeat of the Aces, she acknowledges that the departures of key veterans and the arrival of new faces will test the team’s resilience and chemistry in unprecedented ways.
A’ja Wilson Charts Course for Aces Amid Roster Overhaul
The Aces also leaned heavily on the 2025 WNBA Draft to plug holes and cultivate future stars. Las Vegas selected guard Aaliyah Nye and floor-spacer Deja Kelly, all of whom boasted standout collegiate careers and brought different skill sets to the table.
Fresh off a semifinal upset by the New York Liberty that snapped their quest for a three-peat, Wilson is channeling the sting of defeat into a renewed emphasis on defensive rotations and pick-and-roll execution.
“Going into the new season, just making sure that everyone is on the same page,” she explained at media day. “Particularly now, it’s gonna be a lot harder ’cause at least getting better. But understanding we have enough in our locker room to take care of business, and we just have to be on the same page”.
She emphasized that “the little things… is what’s gonna matter the most,” and vowed to “drill that in” to her teammates as the Aces strive to reestablish their championship identity.
In early 2025, the Aces executed a blockbuster three-team trade that sent franchise cornerstone Kelsey Plum to the LA Sparks and brought veteran sharpshooter Jewell Loyd in from the Seattle Storm.
Plum, the Aces’ No. 1 pick in 2017 and a central figure in their 2022 and 2023 title runs, had become synonymous with the team’s backcourt prowess. In return, Loyd arrives as a proven scorer—she led the WNBA in scoring in 2023—and multi-time All-Star, expected to fill the offensive void but inevitably alter the established rotation.
Beyond the Loyd-for-Plum swap, head coach Becky Hammon and the front office retooled the roster with a flurry of signings and trades designed to inject depth and experience.
One-time All-Star Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and seasoned guard Tiffany Mitchell were added on free-agent deals, and former Sixth Woman of the Year Dana Evans arrived via a trade with the Chicago Sky.
These additions aim to counterbalance the loss of role players such as Tiffany Hayes, Alysha Clark, and Sydney Colson. Additionally, Olympian and rookie guard Harmoni Turner was cut from the final roster.
MORE: Las Vegas Aces 2025 WNBA Schedule: List of All Games, Key Matchups, and More
The Road Ahead For the Las Vegas Aces & Wilson
The Aces break camp with their season opener set for May 17 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center against the Liberty—a fitting rematch venue after the home-court exit that left Wilson upset. The Liberty’s lethal backcourt will test Las Vegas’s revamped defense.
If last season taught them anything, it’s that past laurels offer no guarantees in a rapidly evolving league, and even the most storied squads must adapt or fall. With this bold declaration and a reconstructed roster in tow, Wilson invites skeptics to watch the Aces navigate uncharted waters.
As Aces braces for the grind of a 40-game season, Wilson’s dual mission is clear: she wants to reclaim the championship and prove that, this time, Aces are here to prevail.