Chelsea Gray and the Las Vegas Aces’ Path to WNBA History – Essence

The Las Vegas Aces have every right to be the best dynasty in WNBA history. But to make that claim, they need to do something the WNBA hasn’t seen in years — win a 3rd straight championship.

Luckily, their star point guard and Finals MVP, Chelsea Gray, returned from injury on June 19 after missing the team’s first 12 games. Her impact was felt immediately, including two landslides in her first two games back. For Gray, it wasn’t a change in any respect. “It’s more of a ‘back to business,’” she says. “I’m still getting back into shape, but I feel very comfortable with who I’m playing with.”

That comfort level has been evident on the court. Since Gray’s return, the Aces have lost only one game, including a six-game winning streak. It’s been a whole 180 for the Aces, and they once more seem like the championship contenders everyone expected them to be entering the season.

“I’m the X factor for this team,” the Duke alum tells ESSENCE. “My teammates have been playing out of position a little bit while I’ve been gone, so there’s peace with me being back in the lineup. They know the point guard is there and they can take their spot.”

A terrific point guard really does make it easier for everybody, and Gray is considered one of the best in the league. With her on the court, the Aces outscor opponents by a median of 10.3 points. It’s night and day when it comes to her back, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise to someone nicknamed “Point Gawd” — a reputation first given to her by the great Candace Parker. She shares that nickname with one other legendary point guard, Chris Paul, and the two share many similar traits.

“My IQ, my knowledge of the game and my leadership are the three things that are most important to me when I’m on the field,” Gray explains. “I have a great feel for who hasn’t touched the ball in a while or what defenses the opposing teams are playing.”

In 2022, it was the regular presence of veteran Gray that led to the Aces’ first championship. The following yr, it was the dominance and emergence of a brand new face in the WNBA, A’ja Wilson. “See what she does?” Gray says of the superstar forward. “She’s the best player in the world, hands down! I can pass her the ball every day. It’s not just her scoring, it’s her defensive skills. She’s the whole package. Anyone who says anything different is wrong and hasn’t watched the game.”

The final two Finals MVPs will even be teammates in Paris for the Olympics in just a few weeks, but the 12-woman roster wasn’t without controversy. There was plenty of discussion about who didn’t make the team, especially with the two rookies, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. The former has been on a roll currently, breaking quite a lot of WNBA records, including the rookie rebounding record previously held by Wilson. Reese’s strong play culminated in her becoming the first rookie this season to win WNBA Player of the Week. Gray sees similarities between the players, but thinks it’s unfair to compare them.

“I think it’s unfair to both of them because, one, Angel is a rookie who’s still learning, and two, I think A’ja is playing the best basketball she’s ever played,” Gray says. “I’m excited about Angel Reese’s trajectory. I think she’s a hard worker, she’s a great rebounder, and she has the potential to be a great defender like A’ja. I might be biased because she’s my teammate and my dog, and I think she’s amazing. It’s hard to compare when she’s playing the best basketball and she’s the best player in the world.”

The Olympics might be a much-needed break for Gray and her teammates. They’ve played longer than some other WNBA team in each of the last two seasons and are hoping to win three more times this yr. In addition to making history, this championship run has added motivation. “My purpose and motivation changed with the birth of my son—he’s a bundle of joy that’s given me a new perspective,” she says.

Gray has done all of it in her legendary profession. She’s already an Olympic gold medalist, a 3-time champion and a WNBA Finals MVP. Add a mother to that extensive resume. She’s now not chasing anything but basketball legend. If she will help the Las Vegas Aces achieve a never-before-achieved three championships this summer, the Hall of Fame won’t be the only place her name is etched.

Joining the likes of Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Rebekkah Brunson, she might be referred to as considered one of the best winners in the game’s history.