A single run of titles defines most WNBA dynasties, but not the Las Vegas Aces. They are aiming to do something no team has ever done: achieve a back-to-back championship reign for a second time. Speaking at the latest media availability day, Chelsea Gray, who forms the Big Three with A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young, doubled down on the Aces’ aspirations.

“I think hunger is still prevalent in this group just because we’re chasing something that hasn’t been done before,” she said. “I don’t think anybody’s ever gone back-to-back twice on two different occasions, and it’s really hard to do. And to do it would be extremely special. Becky’s the greatest coach I’ve played for. So, being able to be around all time you can’t take that for granted.”

“I think we’re hungry, like we don’t know how long it’s gonna last man. Before it was like sitting here and talk about year 12. So, I think right now, it is hunger to achieve something that hasn’t been done and keep building on our legacy,” Gray added.

In the WNBA, multiple teams have won the league consecutively. In fact, the league’s first champion, the now-disbanded Houston Comets, won the title four times in a row. But neither of them has done it on two separate occasions, as Gray said. Thus, the 2026 season gives them a unique opportunity to add another chapter to the Aces’ dominance in league history.

Notably, it will also put them right in the bracket of perennially successful WNBA teams such as the Seattle Storm and the Minnesota Lynx. Both currently have four championships, and the Aces trail by just one title, which is why the 2026 season means a lot to Gray, who clearly recognizes the opportunity. To achieve all of it, the Aces have all the required firepower.

Further, many don’t know that the Big Three’s future at the Aces is also quite uncertain next season. Young’s contract situation adds another layer of urgency. She signed a one-year, $1.19 million deal, making her an unrestricted free agent next season. Thus, for now, this season is quite an important one to make it count and win the coveted title for the fourth time in the franchise’s history.

Gray isn’t the first one, though, who has voiced her opinion on winning the title with the Aces. Wilson has quietly expressed her view as well when asked a few months back about her return to the Aces, “I’m not leaving Vegas. I’m looking to win another one. I’m looking to defend a championship that we have in Las Vegas,” she said.

With a veteran coach in Becky Hammon, a dominant Big Three, and talented newcomers like Brianna Turner and Chennedy Carter, the Aces are ready to compete for another title. Further, having achieved immense success over the last few years, the Las Vegas Aces have instilled a championship DNA within the team.

Exploring the Big Three’s championship mentality

For the Aces’ Big Three, the goal of winning a WNBA Championship isn’t just limited to their on-court but also their off-court lives in the offseason. And that is ultimately what has shaped their mentality: to get better and return to the team after every successful season. Gray reflected on it in the interview as well.

“One thing that’s always been consistent for the three of us is our mentality,” Gray said. “Every year we’ve come back better, and we’re a group of individuals who want to be better for each other collectively, and in order to do that, we all have to get better, whether it’s on the court, off the court, or IQ wise, there’s different ways to get better…And when the standard is a Championship, that’s always got to be our mentality and that’s our focus.”

The winning mentality is a constant for the Aces. Last year, when the team conceded a 53-point blowout against the Minnesota Lynx, it was A’ja Wilson who sent a group chat: “If you weren’t embarrassed from yesterday, then don’t come into this gym.” That was the little spark the team needed as it went on a 17-game winning streak in the upcoming season and eventually won the WNBA Championship.

This is the type of hunger that wins titles, and Gray and co. know that. In the little time we’ve seen it this season, the team’s mentality looks on point as well. For instance, in their practice game against the Japan National team, the Aces looked quite seamless, even without their franchise player, A’ja Wilson, who sat out with an injury.

Gray and Young set the pace with a combined 33 points, while Chennedy Carter came off the bench to add a team-high 18 points, as the Aces won 98-74. With Wilson back in the rotation, the team will look even more daunting as it pushes for the untouched record. The Aces’ route to their goal tips off on May 9 against the Phoenix Mercury after playing a preseason game against the Dallas Wings.