What to know about Las Vegas Aces, including A'ja Wilson, ahead of game at South Carolina
COLUMBIA — The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will play a preseason game in Colonial Life Arena on Saturday against Team Puerto Rico. Game time is 1 p.m.
Led by former South Carolina women's basketball star forward A'ja Wilson, the Aces will close their preseason in the home arena of the 2024 NCAA champions.
From Wilson to coach Becky Hammon and guard Kelsey Plum, here's five things to know about the Aces before Saturday's game.
Aces forward A'ja Wilson returns home
Wilson grew up in Columbia and is South Carolina women's basketball most decorated player.
Wilson was on the team that won the program's first NCAA title in 2017 and was named MVP of the tournament that year. In her senior season, she was selected the consensus National Player of the Year, All-America First Team, SEC Player of the Year and SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Wilson holds the program's career records in points (2,389), blocked shots (363), free throws made (597) and free throws attempted (835).
In 2018, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Her success continued at the professional level with the Aces.
Wilson has won two WNBA championships with the Aces and was named finals MVP in 2023. Wilson is a two-time league MVP (2020, 2022), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a five time WNBA All-Star.
Aces coach Becky Hammon transforming the WNBA
After spending time coaching in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, where she became the first full-time female assistant in the league, Hammon took over as coach of the Aces in 2021. Hammon and the Aces won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.
She was named Coach of the Year in 2022. In her first two seasons, she had a 60-16 (.789) record in the regular season and lost only three playoff games in two years.
Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA and was a six-time All-Star. In 2016, had her jersey was retired by the San Antonio Stars (now the Aces). She also played for the New York Liberty.
Aces point guard Kelsey Plum's work with WNBA rookies
Plum, 29, has dominated the college level and WNBA for nearly a decade and is now working with many young players ahead of the WNBA season. Plum began her "Dawg's Class" in partnership with Under Armor in 2023. Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson was part of the first class in 2023 and again in 2024 along with South Carolina sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley.
Becky Hammon and Dawn Staley say 'nobody wants to play us'
After revealing that the Gamecocks' 2024 season will start in Las Vegas, coach Dawn Staley said that its been difficult forming a schedule because nobody wants to play South Carolina. To Aces reporters, Hammon said something similar.
“We couldn’t get anyone to play us,” Hammon said.
The Aces won the past two WNBA championships, and Staley won her second title in three years with the Gamecocks in April.
REQUIRED READING:How WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, A'ja Wilson scheduled preseason game vs Puerto Rico at South Carolina
Former Iowa star, South Carolina rival Kate Martin looks to make Aces roster
Former Iowa guard Kate Martin was drafted by the Aces on April 15 and is hoping to make the final roster.
In the 2024 NCAA championship game, Martin scored 16 points and had five rebounds against South Carolina. In the Gamecocks' 2023 Final Four loss to the Hawkeyes, Martin had seven points and seven rebounds.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin