Aces’ quest for repeat WNBA title begins with training camp

It’s been more than 220 days since the Aces claimed the first WNBA championship in franchise history. A’ja Wilson is bored.

The Aces already celebrated. They paraded down Las Vegas Boulevard. They reloaded their roster. They’re ready to make another run. All that’s left is to get back on the court.

Wilson’s been desperately waiting for this moment for months.

“I need something to do every day,” the reigning WNBA MVP said.

The Aces begin their preparations for the 2023 season Sunday, when the team opens training camp at their new practice facility in Henderson.

Coach Becky Hammon will get her first chance to assess the Aces’ roster and incorporate new signings such as former MVP Candace Parker into their established core as the Aces try to repeat as champions.

“I’m excited to see just how fast we can progress and get on the same page this year,” Hammon said.

However, some questions hang over the organization. Dearica Hamby’s unceremonious exit and subsequent accusations of bullying and discrimination prompted a WNBA investigation, which has since expanded to include allegations of salary cap circumvention by the Aces.

League commissioner Cathy Engelbert said April 10 that she hoped to have the investigation resolved before the season, but the WNBA hasn’t announced any findings as of Saturday.

Hammon’s status with the team is also less than certain. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Review-Journal on Friday that the Aces granted the Toronto Raptors permission to speak with Hammon, a former San Antonio Spurs assistant, about the team’s head coaching vacancy. She declined to comment on a potential return to the NBA during the Aces’ training facility unveiling.

If the 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year stays with the Aces, she will have a strong foundation to work with entering her second season. The Aces return all five of their starters from the title team: Wilson, Finals MVP Chelsea Gray, first-team All-WNBA guard Kelsey Plum, All-Star Jackie Young and center Kiah Stokes. They, along with fellow returners Riquna Williams, Kierstan Bell and Aisha Sheppard, understand Hammon’s coaching philosophies and her terminology.

Continuity is important to Hammon. She was particularly excited to see the return of reserve guard Sydney Colson, whom the Aces coach considers a key locker room voice in the mold of Miami Heat stalwart Udonis Haslem.

“She’s everybody’s favorite teammate,” Hammon said.

Players like Colson will be important to the Aces’ ability to integrate their recent acquisitions. They added the 37-year-old Parker, a two-time league MVP, during free agency, along with two-time WNBA champion Alysha Clark and Australian center Cayla George.

Hammon said this may be one of the most talented rosters the league has ever seen, possibly comparable to the Houston Comets squads that won four consecutive titles from 1997 to 2000. Hammon, who made her WNBA debut in 1999, remembers playing against those teams.

While their talent was impressive — featuring the likes of Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson — Hammon recalls the Comets’ teamwork and communication separating them from other title contenders. She said the Aces were able to instill high levels of trust and commitment during the championship season, but they’ll need to build that again with this new group.

“At the end of the day, that’s really what you want,” Hammon said. “That kind of buy-in, not just into you but them buying into each other.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamshtia@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.