Las Vegas Aces Overview
The Las Vegas Aces are a professional women’s basketball team competing in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1997, the franchise plays its home games at Michelob Ultra Arena inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Paradise, Nevada, and is headquartered in Henderson, Nevada. The Aces are owned primarily by Mark Davis, owner of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, with a minority stake held by former NFL quarterback Tom Brady.
Led by President Nikki Fargas and Head Coach Becky Hammon, the Aces have become one of the league’s flagship franchises. The team is sponsored by Ally Financial and wears black, metallic silver, and white uniforms. With three WNBA championships since 2022, the Aces have established themselves as the defining team of the modern WNBA era.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The franchise was created in 1997 as one of the eight original WNBA teams, debuting as the Utah Starzz in Salt Lake City. The name partially paid tribute to the old ABA team, the Utah Stars, while echoing the spelling style of the neighboring Utah Jazz. The Starzz held the worst record in the WNBA in 1997 and held the first overall pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft, using it to select 7-foot-2 center Margo Dydek, the tallest player in league history.
Despite the arrival of Dydek, the Starzz continued to struggle through 1998 and 1999 before posting their first winning record in 2000. They made the playoffs for the first time in 2001 and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2002. When the NBA divested itself of its WNBA franchises after the 2002 season, the Utah Jazz ownership declined to keep the team. After no local buyers emerged in Utah, the franchise was sold to Peter Holt, owner of the San Antonio Spurs, and relocated to Texas as the San Antonio Silver Stars.
Growth Into WNBA Competition
After moving to San Antonio, the Silver Stars adopted the silver and black colors of the Spurs and spent the 2003 to 2006 seasons rebuilding. The 2007 season marked a turning point when the team acquired stars Becky Hammon, Ruth Riley, and Sandora Irvin, drafted Camille Little, and retained Sophia Young. On August 4, 2007, the Silver Stars clinched their first playoff berth in San Antonio and pushed the Phoenix Mercury to the wire in the Western Conference Finals.
By 2008, the Silver Stars had seized control of the Western Conference, earning the top seed and a trip to the WNBA Finals against the Detroit Shock. The franchise continued as a regular playoff presence through 2017, qualifying for the postseason in seven of its fifteen years in San Antonio. Following the 2017 season, Spurs Sports & Entertainment placed the team up for sale, opening the door to a new chapter in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Aces Competitive Journey
From expansion-era struggles in Utah, to contender status in San Antonio, to a championship dynasty in Las Vegas, the franchise’s competitive arc is one of the most dramatic in WNBA history. Five WNBA Finals appearances, three championships, and a new identity in one of the country’s most ambitious sports markets define that journey.
Early Seasons and Development (1997–2006)
The Utah Starzz spent their first four seasons near the bottom of the league, cycling through coaches and players while searching for an identity. The selection of Margo Dydek in 1998 gave the team a generational defensive talent, but consistent winning did not arrive until 2000. The Starzz made the playoffs in 2001, falling in the first round, and returned in 2002, beating the Houston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals before being swept by the eventual champion Los Angeles Sparks.
The San Antonio Silver Stars inherited a young core but could not translate it into postseason success from 2003 to 2006. Financially and competitively, the team needed a reset, and that reset arrived in 2007 with a wave of veterans, a new coaching voice, and the franchise’s first playoff series win since moving to Texas.
Breakthrough in WNBA (2007–2017)
The 2007 Silver Stars announced themselves as contenders, winning their first playoff series in San Antonio and pushing the Phoenix Mercury to a deciding game in the Western Conference Finals. In 2008, the franchise reached its first WNBA Finals, falling to the Detroit Shock in four games. The Silver Stars remained a Western Conference factor, qualifying for the postseason in 2010, 2012, and 2014, though they were eliminated in the first round each time.
After the 2017 season, MGM Resorts purchased the team and announced plans to relocate to Las Vegas, renaming the franchise the Las Vegas Aces on December 11, 2017. The Aces received the first pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft and selected South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson, beginning a new competitive era.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2018–Present)
On January 14, 2021, Mark Davis agreed to purchase the Aces from MGM, with the WNBA approving the deal on February 12, 2021. Davis quickly invested in infrastructure, breaking ground on a 50,000-square-foot training complex in Henderson next to the Raiders’ facility. Completed in April 2023, the complex includes a practice court, training room, weight room, hydrotherapy space, locker rooms, a lecture hall, player and alumni lounges, and an on-site day care center, the first facility of its kind built solely for a WNBA team. In May 2021, Davis hired Nikki Fargas as team president, and on December 31, 2021, the Aces hired Becky Hammon as head coach.
On March 23, 2023, Tom Brady purchased a minority stake in the team. The Aces won the 2022 and 2023 WNBA Championships, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. On March 6, 2024, the Aces unveiled a new silver and black color scheme matching the Las Vegas Raiders, and the next day announced a sellout of 2024 season tickets, the first in WNBA history. On October 10, 2025, the Aces won their third WNBA Championship in four years, sweeping the Phoenix Mercury 4-0 with a 97-86 victory in Phoenix.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
The Aces are built around a dominant interior presence anchored by A’ja Wilson, one of the most decorated players in league history. Under Becky Hammon, the team emphasizes pace, spacing, and aggressive three-point shooting, with a deep rotation designed to apply constant defensive pressure. The combination of a Hall of Fame-caliber star, an experienced head coach, and elite supporting players has made the Aces a model for sustained excellence in the WNBA.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The franchise’s most significant moments include its 2008 WNBA Finals appearance as the San Antonio Silver Stars, the 2018 relocation and renaming as the Las Vegas Aces, the 2022 WNBA Championship that delivered Las Vegas its first major professional sports title, the 2023 back-to-back title, and the 2025 championship sweep. The 2022 Commissioner’s Cup victory, the 2024 season-ticket sellout, and the completion of the Henderson training facility in April 2023 round out the franchise’s defining achievements.
Las Vegas Aces Achievements and Results
The Las Vegas Aces have built one of the most accomplished résumés in WNBA history, with three championships, a Commissioner’s Cup, and five Finals appearances across the franchise’s three cities. The following sections summarize the team’s verified accomplishments in league, conference, and divisional play.
WNBA Achievements
The franchise has won three WNBA Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2025, and one Commissioner’s Cup in 2022. The 2022 title run included playoff wins over the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm before a four-game victory over the Connecticut Sun. The 2023 title defense came against the New York Liberty, and the 2025 championship was a four-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury, closed with a 97-86 road victory.
Conference Achievements
The franchise has captured one Western Conference title, in 2008, when the San Antonio Silver Stars earned the top seed and reached the WNBA Finals. The Aces have also won multiple Western Conference championships as a Las Vegas franchise during their 2022, 2023, and 2025 title runs, defeating the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm in route to those Finals appearances.
Divisional Achievements
The franchise has experienced a number of standout regular seasons in its history, highlighted by the 2008 first-place finish in the Western Conference as the San Antonio Silver Stars and by consistent Western Conference contention during its years in San Antonio. In Las Vegas, the Aces have built sustained regular-season excellence, finishing among the league’s top teams en route to their three championships.
Series Achievements
The Aces have qualified for the WNBA playoffs in every year since relocating to Las Vegas, and the franchise overall has reached the WNBA Finals five times: in 2008, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025. The 2022, 2023, and 2025 appearances each ended in championships, with the 2025 title secured by a 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Mercury.
