^{October 11, 2025 | Edition #149}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

A’ja Wilson is the WNBA right now. Two and a half months into the season, maybe you wouldn’t have seen it coming, but here we are. The Las Vegas Aces swept their way to a third title in four years, taking down a team that had not only eliminated the defending champions but also the No.1 team this season. That’s just what makes A’ja and her team so special.

While the win was one thing, the celebration was even crazier: fun, chaotic, and just a little too…unhinged.

Aces 🧹!!!

Well, that was quick. The Aces have officially defeated the whole purpose of a 7-game series, living every ounce of ‘work hard, play harder!’

Drenched in champagne, playing with her pink tambourine, laughing more than talking, A’ja Wilson held her post-game presser. But when you’ve cemented your team as a DYNASTY and topped your own standard for the greatest season in WNBA history, you can do whatever the hell you want. Nobody is complaining.

From the opening tip on Friday, Vegas seized control and led for the entire game. Completely collected… that is, until it came to their MVP. A hard foul on A’ja Wilson by Alyssa Thomas had the Mercury star facing the full fury of Chelsea Gray. The veteran guard rarely gets this heated. Watch Gray and AT going at each other!

Meanwhile, Phoenix’s frustration further spilled over in the third when coach Nate Tibbetts got ejected for arguing a foul call. His departure seemed to suck the wind out of the Mercury’s brief comeback.

Vegas, of course, was led by Wilson’s 31 points, with Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young adding 18 each. Jewell Loyd, who once swept the Aces in the 2020 Finals, now did it alongside them, adding 12.

Sure, this title was no easy feat (unlike the first two), with early struggles and two razor-close opening rounds. But what matters is the Aces found a way to their third. And all coach Becky Hammon had to say with tears in her eyes, “I love being their coach!”

Undrafted by the WNBA and 0–4 in championship runs as a player, Becky Hammon is now 3–0 as a coach, as her Aces are the standard of excellence. The celebration that followed was even crazier, but you’ll have to stick with us a little longer to catch that.

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History Has a Name: A'ja Wilson

We know you’re all thinking about the GOAT question. Believe us, we had our own little debate about that, too. But when A’ja Wilson herself humbly said, “I still got a little bit more winning to do before you put me in that conversation,” how could we possibly go against her word?

Still, what a woman, what a hooper, what a winner you are, A’ja!

Just when we thought she had already done it all after that historic 2024 season, she went and outdid even herself. Now, take a deep breath and let this sink in:

A’ja Wilson is the FIRST player in WNBA or NBA history to win MVP, DPOY, Scoring title, the championship, and Finals MVP in the same season!

Oh, she also joined the legendary Bill Russell as the only players in history to achieve this astonishing feat.

In the postseason alone, Wilson averaged 26.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. But beyond stats, her game is just so refined, so effortless that you almost forget how rare it is to witness something this special. Send her anywhere on the court, and she’ll make magic.

Back in 2022, when asked if A’ja would be in the GOAT conversation, Chelsea Gray’s answer was “absolutely”. The talent pool raised questions then, but at this point, questioning her place at the top feels like denying the sunrise. The 3 championships are just reminders. Alongside her, only these four Aces have been part of every title run.

As Hammon says, “You run out of adjectives [for describing A’ja].” We get it because we’re there too. So we’ll leave you with this thought: imagine being called the best to ever do it… when your story is far, far from over.

Goosebumps, right?

Unbelievable! Las Vegas Aces Become the First Team to Pull THIS Crazy Feat Off

New CBA Proposal, Same Old Disappointment

In case you haven’t heard, the WNBA finally upped the prize pool for Finals winners. This year, the Aces are pocketing $22,908 each, roughly $25,000 more as a team than in 2024. Not bad, but again, this doesn’t change the fact that the other payouts still exceed the champions’ bonuses.

And the WNBA’s latest CBA proposals are not exactly making efforts to fix that gap.

But before we get to that, you should know this has turned into a collective fight. It’s visible in players’ reactions, W social media, and loud and clear in the boos Cathy Engelbert got as she handed over the trophy! Pay special attention to Wilson’s reaction here!

Now, back to the contract, the new proposal triples the old supermax and the vet minimum, but it still falls short of $1M. Sources say it’s closer to $850K, with the veteran minimum around $300K, and there’s still no fixed salary model separate from league revenue.

So, obviously, that’s not sitting well with the players, especially when there’s clearly a lot more money flowing into the W than ever before.

But it seems like in the W, the real problem comes from ownership. NBA owners control 42%. Meanwhile, WNBA’s own team owners (who control the other 42%) aren’t exactly off the hook either. Check out further details here.

At this rate, a lockout feels almost inevitable with the October 31 deadline looming. And now that the season is officially over, all attention is shifting to the CBA. Let’s see if/when there’s an agreement!

The League Did What!? The Aces Owner Faced the W’s Wrath For Speaking About the CBA

Aces Celebrated BIG

Over-the-top celebration is the soul of Las Vegas. And we didn’t expect anything less from the Aces last night. It started with sweet moments on the court, though. We want to call it “Love and Basketball,” but since A’ja isn’t a fan of that movie, we’ll refrain.

Still, if clichés are in play, let’s stick with “actions speak louder than words,” and Bam Adebayo does both. Naturally, he was in attendance in Phoenix, and the moment Wilson saw her man after the win, she ran straight into his arms for a tearful hug and a sweet message. You have to see it to feel it!

That moment with Adebayo was probably the last time we saw Wilson fully sober. The locker room after-party spared no one, including champagne showers for owner Mark Davis. Probably the funniest sight of all was A’ja sitting there with reporters waiting for her turn. Check this hilarious bit out!

Now, we know that the Mercury have always been the ones to have fun on social media. But this time, the Aces admin came ready for payback. The highlight has to be this blast-from-the-past post from 2020, where Phoenix had poked fun at the Aces.

1. “Rigged?” Fans Slam Nike and ESPN Over Mistimed WNBA Finals Ad - Full Story

2. Aces Coach Hammon Makes Big Promise Amid Championship Celebration - Full Story

3. Mitchell & Boston Break Decade-Long All-WNBA Drought - Full Story

4. Engelbert’s Future in Doubt After Silver’s ‘Relationship Issues’ Comment? - Full Story

5. Could This Fever Star Hang Up Her Sneakers Sooner Than Expected? - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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