What exactly is coach Hammon referring to with that statement? Specifically, to the performance of A’ja Wilson — the recently crowned league MVP — who didn’t have her best game against the Fever.

Following the 89–73 loss on their home court, Aces head coach Becky Hammon spoke to the media and issued a warning to opponents — her star player doesn’t usually have two bad games in a row.

“I think she just missed, honestly. She had a lot of great looks… I’ll tell you this, she doesn’t normally play two stinkers in a row,” Hammon said via Tony East.

Wilson’s performance

While the Indiana Fever stole the show in their Game 1 upset, the performance of Aces MVP A’ja Wilson left many wanting more. Wilson finished with a solid stat line of 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 1 assist in 34 minutes of play, but the numbers don’t tell the full story.

The reigning MVP was uncharacteristically quiet, struggling to assert her dominance and take over the game as fans have grown accustomed to seeing. With the Aces’ offense stalling at critical moments, many expected Wilson to elevate her play and carry her team to victory. Instead, she was outshined by the Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell, who delivered a career night.

The Aces will need their star player to be more aggressive and impactful on both ends of the court if they hope to even the series and keep their championship hopes alive.

What’s next for the Aces?

• Michelob ULTRA Arena Las Vegas, September 23
• @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, September 26
• @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, September 28 (If necessary)
• Michelob ULTRA Arena Las Vegas, September 30 (If necessary)

The most critical moment came during that tough loss to the Indiana Fever — a game that sparked serious questions about what this team is truly made of. Still, veteran head coach knows they’re in the middle of shaping their identity, and she believes they’ll find a way to get there.

Now sitting at an even 9–9 record after their win over the Sun, the Aces face the major challenge of climbing back up the standings in the Western Conference.

“I think people take for granted how many new pieces we have, like we have to teach all over again,” said Hammon via ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. “It’s all brand new.”

“It’s been a process. Every team goes at a different pace. And I think for me right now, you just continue to teach and continue to demand that effort.”

Forging Las Vegas’ identity

While there’s still a long way to go in this season, the Aces continue searching for their true on-court identity — something that could elevate their level of play even further. And with that potential growth, it’s likely that opposing teams will be keeping an even closer eye on them.

“We’re still developing who we are, the identity of this team, but we’re getting there, you know, crawling. I would like to be walking or striding at this point, but as long as we’re moving in the right direction and I’m seeing progress, I’m happy with that,” WNBA legend Becky Hammon said.

She also added: “I think people like beating us. We’ve been pretty good in this league for the last few years, and people don’t forget that.”

The road ahead for the Aces

With the season at its midpoint, every game now carries more weight. The Aces will need to show consistency and resilience if they hope to regain their championship-caliber rhythm. Upcoming matchups will test both their depth and their evolving identity — a stretch that could define the tone for the rest of the season.

• vs New York Liberty, July 8th
• vs Washington Mystics, July 10th
• vs Golden State Valkyries, July 12th
• vs Dallas Wings, July 16th
• vs Atlanta Dream, July 22nd

The center, who is currently leading the Las Vegas Aces in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks, left no doubt about who should be this season’s MVP. What truly caught everyone’s attention was the unanimous vote she received, a feat that hadn’t happened since 1997.

After the news broke, many in the sports world took notice, and it was none other than her coach, Becky Hammon, who highlighted Wilson’s achievement.

“We always talk about, ‘Make your teammate great, and then in the process you become the greatest,’” Aces coach Becky Hammon said, per ESPN. “A’ja is a great example of that — just making everybody great around her. She’s the greatest, because she’s so authentically committed to that: pulling greatness out of other people.”

A’Ja Wilson is the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 points in a season, and she has also set the league record for total rebounds in a season.

Wilson takes home third MVP award

With her selection as MVP, Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson joins three other players who have won this prestigious trophy three times. They are Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Lauren Jackson.

Wilson received all 67 first-place votes for MVP from the gathered news media, finishing ahead of rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and several other players. Napheesa Collier came in second, while Breanna Stewart secured the third most votes. Clark placed fourth in the overall voting.

Las Vegas Aces and the playoffs

With a record of 27 wins and 13 losses, Becky Hammon’s team finished second in the Western Conference, trailing only the Minnesota Lynx.

In this way, A’ja Wilson and her teammates will begin their playoff journey this Sunday, facing a tough opponent in the Seattle Storm.

At some point, Popovich argued with refs about a foul call and they decided to eject the legendary head coach. That was bad for the team but they found a light at the end of the tunnel. Hammon took the reins of the team and coached them for the rest of the night.

Even though the Lakers left the court with a 121-107 victory, it was a great moment for the franchise and Becky Hammon, too. She made history and earned a lot of praise after the game despite the defeat against the current NBA champions.

LeBron James lauds Becky Hammon after becoming the first woman to coach an NBA game

LeBron James was one of those who had big praise for Hammon and her incredible milestone. After the game was over, the King took the time to send a message to Hammon for her historical night.

“It’s a beautiful thing just to hear her barking out calls, barking out sets,” LeBron said, via NBA on ESPN. “She’s very passionate about the game. Congrats to her and congrats to our league.”

Becky has been with the Spurs since 2014 and ever since that moment, people started wondering when she would get a chance to coach in the NBA. She’s taking little steps that have taken her this far and the Russian-American coach might be taking over a team in the future.

Obviously, she also spoke about her night, explaining that it was a big deal not only for her but the organization and the entire league. She’s had the best teacher of all and she’s taking the most advantage of that.

“Obviously, it’s a big deal,” Hammon said, via ESPN. “It’s a substantial moment. I’ve been a part of this organization, I got traded here in 2007, so I’ve been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years. So I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, in building me and getting me better.”

This was something great; LeBron knows that; the fans know that and Becky knows that very well. The San Antonio Stars legend left a mark on his team and now will try to do the same with the Spurs.