“I don’t want to,” A’ja Wilson said when asked if she’d ever suit up for another WNBA team. Sure, she admitted that’s ultimately up to the franchise, but her plan is to retire in Vegas. And after eight years of excellence, eight straight playoff runs, four MVPs, and two titles, it’s safe to say the Aces front office feels the same way. Now, as the Aces chase title No. 3, it’s starting to look like a blueprint for sustained greatness. Apart from the talent on court, what’s the secret sauce behind the Aces’ success?

We’ll get to that….

First, you should know the WNBA expanded its Finals to a best-of-seven series but it looks like the Las Vegas Aces might not even need those extra games. After taking a commanding 3–0 lead with Wednesday’s 90–88 win over the Phoenix Mercury, they’re one win away from another crown. While, in sports, there are no guarantees, here’s something you should know: while 0-3 wasn’t a thing before, no team in WNBA Finals history has ever come back from 0-2. Even in the NBA, a 0-3 comeback has never happened. So yes, all the odds are stacked squarely in the Aces’ favor.

Now it’s just a matter of whether they’ll get it done at home or finish the sweep in the Valley to cement their dynasty with a third championship in four years. The Aces won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, reached the semis last year but fell short. As A’ja Wilson put it, “That’s a good stepping stone… that is something you can never take away from us.”

Ahead of a potentially series-ending Game 4 in Arizona, Yahoo! Sports discussed the defining front-office moves that built this juggernaut. Caroline Fenton said: 

“I think it just goes to show too that the level of investment pays off. When you cough up the money that it takes to get a coach of the caliber of Becky Hammon, that pays off. When you invest into your franchise, into coaches, into facilities, I think that’s a a really big statement that we can look at at through a microscope with the Aces, but also, you know, apply that to the league as a whole. You invest in your coaches. You invest in your team. And if you invest in your league, you get positive things out of that. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that investment can equal positive results.”

A women’s basketball legend herself Becky Hammon, was hired as head coach of the Las Vegas Aces on December 31, 2021, following her stint as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. In her very first year at the helm, Hammon led the Aces to the 2022 WNBA title, becoming the first rookie head coach ever to win a championship. A year later, she did it again. 

The Aces repeated as 2023 champions, and Hammon became the first coach in two decades to pull off back-to-back titles. Of course, greatness comes at a price but for the Aces, it’s been worth every penny. Hammon became the first coach in WNBA history to land a $1 million annual salary, setting a new benchmark for women’s sports compensation. 

By 2025, she still ranks among the league’s highest-paid coaches, now holding the second spot behind Phoenix Mercury’s Nate Tibbetts, who earns $1.2 million. The Aces’ success also comes from smart investment off the court. In 2023, the team unveiled its brand-new training center and headquarters, the first facility ever built exclusively for a WNBA franchise.

For owner Mark Davis, who purchased the team in January 2021, that was non-negotiable. “When I bought the team, there were two things that I felt were necessary: No. 1, it was to create a family atmosphere and, secondly, it was to give that family a home,” Davis said. And outside of this and hiring Hammon, in April 2022, Davis also hired former All-Star Natalie Williams as general manager, empowering her to build what’s now a true WNBA super-team. All these moves have shaped a franchise that defines an era.

Meanwhile, this particular season feels like it’s being shaped by the vets. 

The vets run Vegas

From sitting eighth at midseason to finishing as the No. 2 seed and now standing just one win away from another title, the Aces’ turnaround has been nothing short of legendary. And really, one big reason they’re back in the Finals is simple: this team has a veteran core that knows exactly how to win together.

A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray have been through it all  and they’ve done it together. The trio powered Las Vegas to back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, and now they’re right back on the brink again. Wilson’s been doing her MVP things, Jackie’s finally “got her legs back” and has been incredible, and the Point Gawd being the Point Gawd….simple as that.

And then there’s Jewell Loyd, who’s been thriving since stepping into her role off the bench. She’s been one of the biggest sparks behind the Aces’ dominant Finals run, dropping 18 points in Game 1 and 16 in Game 3 to push Vegas to a 3–0 start. But really, are we even surprised? Loyd’s no stranger to this stage. She’s a two-time champion with the Seattle Storm (2018, 2020), and this trip marks her third Finals appearance. The craziest part is she’s currently undefeated in the Finals: a perfect 9–0 record.

Sure, the Mercury’s core came in hot, playing some of their best basketball this postseason. But the Aces’ championship pedigree has been visibly rattling them from the start. And now, with Satou Sabally also out, things look bleak for Phoenix as Vegas inches closer to finishing the job  and the sweep.