She wasn’t supposed to be the story. A second-round pick, 13th overall, fighting for minutes on a title contender. But with 10,201 fans roaring in Seattle, the rookie from alabama grabbed the moment like it was hers from the start. While the stars battled at the top, she lit the fuse off the bench in just 11 minutes, justifying a preseason gamble that saw the Aces keep her and let go of Deja Kelly. 

And after the game, Aces head coach Becky Hammon walked into the locker room with something rare: an apology.

That rookie was Aaliyah Nye, and her performance was impossible to overlook. In just 11 minutes, she dropped a season-high 10 points on 3-6 shooting (from FG), including a confident finish over 6’7” Li Yueru that even Storm broadcaster Dick Fain had to applaud: “Nye turning the corner, good defense by Li, but even better shot there.”

But the backstory made it all sweeter. Nye had barely seen the floor in their previous win over the Sparks—just six minutes and not a single shot. The bench struggled, and Hammon admitted she got caught in the moment.

“Our last game, I got frustrated with the bench and kind of forgot about her,” Hammon said. “And I told her, I apologize for that. So I told her to be ready today. And per usual, she’s ready to go. She was locked in.”

Nye was more than ready. She hit a three, drew contact on drives, and calmly sank her free throws. Her +5 plus-minus stood out on a night where the Aces’ lead was nearly erased.

And while the headlines might focus on A’ja Wilson’s defense or Jewell Loyd’s clutch free throws, it was Nye—the rookie who wasn’t supposed to be the story—who earned her coach’s trust, and her moment.

Aces chasing sixth player three-peat — and Nye’s making her case.

At the start of Aces’ training camp, Becky Hammon made it clear: sentiment wasn’t going to drive roster decisions. “I love a lot of the players that aren’t here,” she said. When asked about her bench, she was even more blunt: “I’ll play whoever is going to help us win games, period.”

Sunday was a perfect example.

Las Vegas didn’t just survive in Seattle—they won 75-70 because their second unit didn’t flinch. The Aces have had the Sixth Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (Alysha Clark in 2023 and Tiffany Hayes in 2024 ), and Hammon believes they’ll have it again. The only question is who.

Nye is making her case early. In a game where margins were razor-thin, she brought discipline, poise, and energy. After the game, A’ja Wilson—who sat beside her at the postgame presser—spoke to the trust growing between the starters and the reserves: “They be kicking our ass in practice,” she laughed.

Nye, beaming, hugged Wilson and returned the praise (according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal). “She’s such a strong mentor. I think we’re getting more comfortable,” she said. “We just want to keep what the first group brings and hone in on that. Stay in the game, make the right plays, and stay disciplined.”

Her approach is already earning dividends.

From being overlooked in the rotation to forcing Hammon to reconsider everything, Aaliyah Nye is no longer just the 13th pick out of Alabama. She’s a hungry wolf, too, just like the others on the Aces roster —and she’s coming for more.