The official WNBA season tips off next month for the defending world champion Las Vegas Aces. Here’s everything you need to know.
The defending Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) world champion the Las Vegas Aces made history again this month with the signing of four-time MVP A’ja Wilson.
The athlete signed a three-year $5 million supermax contract on April 15, making her the highest-paid player in the women’s league.
“A’ja is truly one of one, who has led this franchise to where it is today,” Las Vegas Aces president and GM Nikki Fargas told the media. “Not only has she catapulted into the history books and surpassed almost every record in existence, but she does so with the utmost confidence, authenticity, and grace. We look forward to continuing to see her thrive in an Aces uniform.”
The Aces have been blazing a trail for professional sports in Las Vegas since 2022, when the team became the first major professional sports franchise to bring a championship to the Silver State. Fresh off a 2025 WNBA Finals win against the Phoenix Mercury, the powerhouse women’s basketball team kicks off the upcoming season on May 9 with sold-out season ticket memberships, a feat the team has accomplished for the past three years.
If you aren’t already a fan of the Las Vegas Aces, here’s everything you need ot know for the upcoming 30th season.
The team is one of the original WNBA franchises
Originally known as the Utah Starzz and then the San Antonio Stars, the Las Vegas Aces were founded in Utah in 1997. The team relocated to San Antonio, Texas, for the 2003 season and landed in Las Vegas for the 2018 season.
Along with the team’s role in putting Sin City on the map for professional sports, the Aces earned acclaim nationwide with back-to-back championship wins in 2022 and 2023, the first time a women’s basketball team won two years in a row in 20 years.
The WNBA was not the country’s first major women’s professional basketball league. That honor goes to the defunct Women’s Professional Basketball League (WBL). The WNBA, however, is the only league to receive full backing from the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Aces are one of the original eight teams to play in the inaugural WNBA season in 1997, with four in the Western Conference and four in the Eastern Conference. As of 2026, there are 15 teams with an expected 18 by 2030.
Players are seeing a substantial increase in salary this year
In addition to re-signing A’ja Wilson for the 2026 season, the Las Vegas Aces re-signed WNBA All-Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, 2023 WNBA scoring leader Jewell Loyd, and the rest of its core group, while adding 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Stephanie Talbot.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the Las Vegas Aces,” Talbot, who is in her eighth season with the WNBA, told the media. “I’m excited to be part of a team with such a strong culture and competitive mindset. I’m ready to put in the work, grow my game, and contribute however I can.”
Players saw a considerable salary increase this year due to the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. The average salary will be around $600,000 ($120,000 in 2025).
The full Las Vegas Aces player roster for 2026 is as follows:
- Jackie Young (Guard)
- Janiah Barker (Forward)
- Jordan Obi (Guard)
- Kierstan Bell (Forward)
- NaLyssa Smith (Forward)
- Stephanie Talbot (Forward)
- Chennedy Carter (Guard
- Dana Evans (Guard)
- Chelsea Gray (Guard)
- Brianna Turner (Forward-Center)
- A’ja Wilson (Center)
- Jewell Loyd (Guard)
- Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (Forward)
Aces Head Coach since 2021, Becky Hammon, a former WNBA player, was the first WNBA Head Coach to win a championship in her rookie year of coaching. Not only was she named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2022, but she was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Along with a dedication to the game, the team fosters relationships with the Las Vegas community through education, mental health and wellness, and youth participation in sports. Team members lead clinics, camps, and mentorship programs.
Now in its third year, the Aces ALL IN LV program gives underserved youth and young adults in Southern Nevada the opportunity to attend games they may not otherwise be able to afford. For every $20 donated, one child or young adult will get to attend a Las Vegas Aces game during the 2026 season.
Additionally, the Aces award $5,000 grants to 20 middle schools every year to help support girls’ basketball teams.
This summer, the team will launch its second annual Aces Fantasy Camp, Aug. 14-16. The unique camp gives participants access to on-court and off-court activities as they step into the life of a Las Vegas Aces player or coach.
The Las Vegas locals’ package is $4,550 while the out-of-town package costs $4,950. For more information, email FantasyCamp@lasvegasaces.com.
The 2026 season is almost here, so get your tickets now
Before the Aces play the inaugural game of the 2026 season, the team hosted the Japan Women’s Basketball National Team in a preseason exhibition game at the 50,000-square-foot Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip on April 26.
On May 5, the Aces will host a screening of “Never Fold: The 2025 Las Vegas Aces” at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. The documentary from Aces Productions includes exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage. All audience members will receive a limited-edition “Never Fold” movie poster.
Tickets for the screening can be purchased here. You can also catch the documentary when it airs locally on Vegas 34 at 7 p.m., May 6.
The official WNBA season tips off at T-Mobile Arena on May 9, when the Las Vegas Aces again face the Mercury. The 12:30 p.m. game opens with a ring ceremony for the championship team and free flags for the first 7,500 fans.
While tickets for the inaugural game start at $28, tickets for all 22 regular-season home games are on sale now. Season tickets are all sold out, but fans can add their names to the waitlist for 2027 on the Las Vegas Aces website.
Parking for the games is available in Mandalay Bay’s parking garages ($20-$30) or by self-parking at a nearby hotel-casino ($15-$30).
Tip: You can buy tickets to individual games and stay in the know about scores, schedules, news, and stats with the Las Vegas Aces Mobile app.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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