Aces Secure Third WNBA Title in Four Years with Decisive Victory Over Mercury
Phoenix, AZ – The Las Vegas Aces completed a championship sweep, defeating the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4 to claim the 2025 WNBA title. This victory marks the third championship for the franchise in four years, a feat achieved by only two other teams in WNBA history.
The Aces’ success is built on a foundation of consistent leadership and core players. Head Coach Becky Hammon boasts the highest win percentage in WNBA Finals history, and key guards Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum contributed 18 points apiece in the decisive Game 4.
The celebration unfolded immediately after the final buzzer. A’ja Wilson proudly displayed a “2025 WNBA Champions” towel as Hammon fought back tears, overwhelmed by the accomplishment. “I’m invested in their greatness and getting that out of them every day,” Hammon stated. “This one hits different because it was different. There was probably a lot more adversity than any of us anticipated.”
This championship run differed significantly from the Aces’ previous title defenses.The team entered the All-Star break with a.500 record, their first time below.500 at that point since Wilson’s 2018 rookie season.
“To be here right now, and where we were in May and June,” Plum remarked, “We had confidence in each other. I’m just really proud of how we just stayed the course.”
Early in the season,the Aces struggled with a revamped roster featuring six new players,and their defence faltered. A notably challenging moment came on August 2nd with a historic 53-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx – the second-largest defeat in WNBA history. This defeat prompted a period of self-reflection. Hammon, initially struggling to find positives, recalled advice from her mother: “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.”
The Aces rebounded strongly following the August 2nd loss, losing only three more games throughout the remainder of the season. In Game 4, Wilson set the tone with 12 first-quarter points, helping Las Vegas establish a nine-point lead. The Aces extended their advantage to 16 by halftime,despite the Mercury’s attempts to adjust their lineup following a late-Game 3 concussion suffered by All-Star forward Satou Sabally. A brief Phoenix rally in the third quarter, sparked by the ejection of coach Nate Tibbetts, was ultimately quelled by Wilson and her teammates.
Throughout the celebration, Wilson embodied the team’s joy, rattling a pink tambourine gifted by an Aces trainer. “This is the symbol of the joyfulness we have right now,” she explained.”Good things happen to the right people. And that’s what you see in this locker room today.”
Reserve guard Dana Evans highlighted wilson’s crucial role in maintaining team morale during difficult times. “She was the positive person (during our struggles),” Evans said. “She was the one sending texts, saying, ‘Hey, y’all, we good. Keep your heads up. Don’t get down on yourself.’ She’s just always been that positive.”
Aces General Manager Nikki Fargas confidently predicted Wilson’s future legacy: “A’ja Wilson, once finished playing, will be the GOAT.There’s not gonna be anything left for her to do.”
Following the victory,Aces owner Mark Davis posed a question to the team: “Can we do it again?”
with A’ja Wilson leading the charge,the possibility remains very real.
