When Mark Davis bought the Aces franchise, he paid $2 million, but now, in just four years, the Aces are worth over $300 million. And Davis and Co. have ensured to never hold any finances back when it comes to the team’s betterment. That perspective, in fact, did not come with W’s unprecedented growth last year. He has always been ahead of the curve. The Las Vegas Aces’ $40M Worth WNBA HQ is proof enough, since its plans kicked off way back in February, 2021. Not to forget that two of the Aces players are in the top-three highest-paid WNBA players.

So, naturally, that makes you think that HC Becky Hammon must also be the highest-paid WNBA coach. Well, that was the case sometime ago, but not anymore, and it seems like Mark Davis isn’t aware.

After the Aces’ championship win, a reporter asked Mark Davis about making Hammon the highest-paid coach in the WNBA. Davis seemed baffled for a moment, as he asked, “Oh, she is not?” before adding, Well, you ask her,” as the hall burst into laughter.

“Becky’s unbelievable. Nikki Fargas is unbelievable. The two of them, what they put together this year after a rough start, is just something I’ve never seen before. I don’t really know where to put it in historic senses, but I think there’ll be stories written about it in some time,” Davis further said. Well, that’s all you need to know about women’s power. Nikki Fargas is the president of the franchise, and with Hammon, she is just steps away from turning the Aces into a dynasty.

And, yes, hearing that Becky isn’t the highest paid coach did surprise Davis. Back in December 2021, when he hired Hammon, who sharpened her skills under Gregg Popovich, the Aces’ owner wanted to make it historic. “Becky Hammon didn’t want to be a million-dollar coach. But I wanted her to be a million-dollar coach… I felt that giving Becky Hammon the million-dollar contract would then show everybody that there is value here,” he said after making Hammon the first head coach in the W to ink a million-dollar contract.

Well, doing so back then was controversial. Especially since players had a salary cap and coaches didn’t. But, for Davis, it was an investment he made that is now translating into returns. In just a span of four years, Aces got three championship titles, big threes leading the pack, and yes, a bonding none could replace.

And, Hammon has been at the heart of it all. When she entered the locker room, she ensured to read each player. She spent time with them, understanding their behaviour, and having conversations during dinner. Those endless hours spent off-court translated into the chemistry the Aces have today.

As Hammon shared, “I love being their coach, I love being their friend. Pushing them sometimes to their disliking a little bit, but I’m invested in their greatness,” in the post-game press conference. No wonder the Aces are where they are today.

None could have predicted the Aces were going to win their third national title, as the team had been under a .500 run for 2.5 months. But then the team picked up the pace, went on a 16-game streak, and with a 4-0 sweep in the Finals against the Mercury, secured the championship ring. The credit for this huge win, no doubt, goes to Coach Becky Hammon.

Becky Hammon, a six-time WNBA All-Star, joined the Aces’ roster after leaving her job as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. The first-ever female assistant coach in the NBA then used her experience to lead the Aces to an incredible run. Just nine months after Davis bought the team, the Aces won their first championship in 26 years. And now, in just four years, she’s led the team to three titles.

This year’s finals, too, were a result of her strategic gameplay. For her, every game had a different plan to execute. In Game 1, she used switching man defense to zone defense to derail the Mercury — and yes, it worked too. After the switch, Aces flipped a 71–67 fourth quarter into a three-point win.

In the next game, she relied more on the team’s Big Three, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray, to counter a tough opponent. And, yes, this strategy paid off too as the trio combined for the team’s 70 points alone. But in Game 3, she focused on capitalizing on the three-point range to win.

And despite three wins, she again played smart, giving the Mercury a challenge in Game 4 as she once again let the Big Three shine. And that’s how she was able to guide the Aces toward another championship. So, you know why Davis seems to be surprised at Hammon not being the highest paid still. But….

Who’s over Becky Hammon’s historic contract?

It’s Nate Tibbetts, the Mercury head coach, who’s at No. 1 for now. According to Pro Football Network’s 2025 rankings, Nate Tibbetts is the highest-paid coach across the WNBA, with Hammon coming just below him. Though Hammon’s still strong, she has a net worth of around $500,000.

While most of her earnings come from her professional basketball career, her move to the NBA as an assistant coach with the Spurs, followed by her transition to coaching the Aces, added significantly to it. And while her contract isn’t as large as NBA coaching deals, her love for the W, combined with her leadership and her record-breaking, barrier-breaking legacy, has kept her loyal to the league.

As of now, she’s on a $1 million-per-year contract with the Aces, which she inked back in December 2021 for five years. That means she still has a season left to coach the Aces — but what happens after that? Well, honestly, it’s hard to imagine her going anywhere considering what she’s done for the team. So maybe an extension is on the horizon. What do you think?