Inside Aces’ title parade: Finals MVP A’ja Wilson lifts WNBA trophy, Kelsey Plum smokes on a cigar and owner Mark Davis swaps his dance moves for fist pumps as the Las Vegas strip shuts down for second-straight year


The Las Vegas Aces hit the Las Vegas strip after securing their place as one of the greatest teams in WNBA history last week. 

The Aces became the first team to repeat as champions in 21 years, beating the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the Finals last Wednesday night.

And the franchise enjoyed their victory parade along the streets of Sin City Monday night.  

This is the second year in a row the Aces paraded down Las Vegas Boulevard, but this time they ended at Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena. 

Last year, the parade ended near the Bellagio fountains, where fans jammed both sides of the Strip. The route was changed this year because of construction for next month’s Formula One race.

The Aces hit the Las Vegas strip after becoming one of the greatest teams in WNBA history

The franchise celebrated their second consecutive WNBA Championship title Monday

The franchise celebrated their second consecutive WNBA Championship title Monday 

The Aces shutdown the Las Vegas strip for their victory parade on an open-top bus

The Aces shutdown the Las Vegas strip for their victory parade on an open-top bus 

Organizing championship parades is something Las Vegas officials are getting used to. This was the third in 13 months. The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights partied on the Strip and at Toshiba Plaza in June after winning the Stanley Cup.

A’ja Wilson, who wore a brace on her left wrist, was greeted by chants of ‘MVP.’ She is a two-time regular-season MVP, but lost out in a close vote this season to the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart.

Wilson was offered a consolation prize in the form of Finals MVP, but she appeared to poke fun at missing out on the regular-season title as she wore a shirt showing the one vote she received for fourth place in the race on the back. 

She showed off the WNBA Championship trophy from the team’s open-top bus as it made its way along the strip. 

She was joined by her star teammates, including Kelsey Plum, who puffed on a cigar, even walking on to the stage smoking it. 

Other members of the team donned commemorative t-shirts that read, ‘Back to Back,’ and ‘Aces vs Everybody.’

Owner Mark Davis donned all-white again as pumped his fist triumphantly at the crowd that had gather to celebrate the victory. 

Recording artist 2 Chainz took the stage and performed after the Aces’ speeches, which included vows to achieve their feat for a third time. 

A'ja Wilson was greeted with chants of 'MVP' as she lifted the WNBA Championship trophy

A’ja Wilson was greeted with chants of ‘MVP’ as she lifted the WNBA Championship trophy 

Kelsey Plym puffed on a cigar, even walking on to the party stage smoking it

Kelsey Plym puffed on a cigar, even walking on to the party stage smoking it

Plum celebrates with fans who had gathered in Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena

Plum celebrates with fans who had gathered in Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena

On satge, All-Star guard Plum declared that the team was 'going to keep coming back'

On satge, All-Star guard Plum declared that the team was ‘going to keep coming back’

Owner Mark Davis donned all-white again as pumped his fist triumphantly at the crowd

Owner Mark Davis donned all-white again as pumped his fist triumphantly at the crowd

Guard Chelsea Gray celebrates in a commemorative championship t-shirt

Guard Chelsea Gray celebrates in a commemorative championship t-shirt 

Head coach Becky Hammon hailed A'ja Wilson as 'the GOAT of the GOATs'

Head coach Becky Hammon hailed A’ja Wilson as ‘the GOAT of the GOATs’

Alysha Clark donned a t-shirt that read, 'Aces vs. Everybody' for the occasion

Alysha Clark donned a t-shirt that read, ‘Aces vs. Everybody’ for the occasion 

‘It´s hard to win a championship,’ owner Mark Davis said. ‘It´s even harder to repeat.’

The Aces made it clear from the front office to the players they weren’t ready to stop, and Las Vegas has the kind of roster to make these parades a regular ritual.

‘We´re going to keep coming back, and everybody hates it,’ said All-Star guard Plum.

‘Last year, (Plum) said we´re just getting started,’ All-Star point guard Chelsea Gray said. ‘Let´s run that (expletive) back.’

‘I played against all the GOATs,’ Aces coach Becky Hammon said. ‘This is going to be the GOAT of the GOATs. She’s that good. I’m trying to think of an NBA comp and I’m trying to think of a WNBA comp, and there’s nobody like A’ja Wilson.’

The Aces had, of course, celebrated immediately after their Finals win last week in Brooklyn, New York. 

Wilson and co. didn’t hold back on the spray as they brought out the champagne to enjoy the sweet taste of victory.

Several of the Aces stars danced on the court as they waited to lift the championship trophy, with owner Mark Davis, who also owns NFL team the Las Vegas Raiders, joining in with some spectacular dad-dancing. 

Davis joined his triumphant team for the celebrations on the double decker bus

Davis joined his triumphant team for the celebrations on the double decker bus 

Finals MVP Wilson waves to the supporters gathered at the celebration's stage

Finals MVP Wilson waves to the supporters gathered at the celebration’s stage 

His awkward moves quickly went viral on social media with one user joking: ‘It’s giving ‘I’m a little lad who likes berries and cream.”

The American businessman, 68, wearing an all-white suit, basked in the glory of his team’s second title and was seen captured beaming while talking to his players.  

Under Davis, the Aces won their first title in franchise history by beating the Connecticut Sun 3-1 last year. 

The entire squad also invaded the postgame press conference in their commemorative t-shirts, clutching gold bottles of champagne and blaring music from a speaker.

Back in the locker room, they donned ski goggles and let the fizz spray as they poured champagne and beer all over each other. 

They also continued their dancing – this time without Davis and his hilarious moves – with one player even twerking while another slapped her derriere. 

The Aces joined the Los Angeles Sparks (2001-02) and the Houston Comets (1997-2000) as the only teams in league history to win consecutive titles. 

‘It´s not easy, as you know. This is what it’s all about,’ Wilson said. ‘Not a lot of people get to do it. To be short-handed and win is amazing. It makes the win that much better. It’s hard to get back to the Finals to win again.’

New York drew dozens of celebrities to the game, including basketball royalty Sue Bird and Dawn Staley – the South Carolina coach who loudly cheered on her former star player, Wilson. The two embraced in a long hug after the game. 

Also in attendance were Liberty Ring of Honor members Vickie Johnson and Sue Wicks, and actors Jennifer Connelly, Issa Rae and Jason Sudeikis. 

Las Vegas did it without starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes, who were both sidelined with foot injuries suffered in Game 3. Gray, the 2022 WNBA Finals MVP, was constantly in the ear of her teammates during timeouts and shouting encouragement from the sideline. Las Vegas was also still missing veteran Candace Parker, who had foot surgery in late July.

The freshly re-crowned champions made sure to celebrate their feat in style postgame

The freshly re-crowned champions made sure to celebrate their feat in style postgame

The Aces didn't hold back on the spray as they brought out the champagne to enjoy the win

The Aces didn’t hold back on the spray as they brought out the champagne to enjoy the win 

‘We´ve been facing adversity all season, playing without different players. … We have some professional fighters,’ said Alysha Clark, who was pressed into the starting lineup Wednesday. ‘To weather the storm of everything we went through, to show up every single day. To be in this moment right now and do it together, it speaks volumes about us, our chemistry.’

Coach Becky Hammon said this was the closest team she has ever been around. The entire team attended the postgame news conference and cheered every answer, especially those by Wilson, the Finals MVP, who finished third in the regular-season MVP balloting.

With the game tied at 64, Las Vegas scored six straight points, including the first four by Jackie Young, to go ahead 70-64 with 1:26 left.

Courtney Vandersloot hit a 3-pointer on New York’s next possession, then stole the ball from Kelsey Plum, which led to Sabrina Ionescu’s foul-line jumper to get the Liberty within one with 41.7 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Las Vegas worked the shot clock down before Hammon called timeout with 3 seconds left on the shot clock. The Aces got the ball to Wilson on a lob, but Breanna Stewart blocked the shot, giving New York one last chance.

After a timeout with 8.8 seconds left, the Liberty got the ball to Stewart, who was double-teamed. The ball swung over to Vandersloot in the corner, but her shot missed badly, setting off a wild celebration by the Aces at midcourt.

They donned ski goggles and  poured champagne and beer all over each other

A’ja Wilson donned a t-shirt that read, ‘MVPeriodt,’ after being named Finals MVP 

‘It’s a play we´ve ran before, get the ball to Stewie´s hand,’ Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. ‘Sometimes they work, sometimes they don´t. We got it where we wanted to, but didn´t make it.’

Vandersloot finished with 19 points and Betnijah Laney added 15 for New York.

Hammon said before the game she would be ‘throwing the kitchen sink at (the Liberty), see what sticks, see what works.’

The Aces rotated defenses, which stymied New York after the Liberty scored 23 points in the first quarter.



Source link

Visited 2 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Nvidia’s trillion-dollar run puts pressure on the bulls

BEIJING, CHINA – MAY 14: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (C) gestures as he prepares to depart following a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. President Trump is meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing to address the Iran conflict, trade imbalances, and the Taiwan situation

Permutations in Europe: What’s still at stake in final weeks of season?

There’s still plenty to play for across Europe as we head into the final matches of the club season. Here are all the title races, Champions League fights, and relegation battles left to be decided in the top leagues this month. This story will be updated until the end of the campaign. 👉 Jump to:EPL

Brewing a Better Half-Gallon Batch

Today I finally ran an experiment I’ve wanted to try for a long time. If you’re a professional barista—or you run a busy café—this may save you some time. Most coffee shops use 1–1.5 gallon batch brewers (Bunn, Curtis, Fetco, etc.). When I opened Short Sleeves Coffee, I intentionally avoided brewing full 1-gallon batches. I

5 Frozen Breakfasts Chefs Say Keep You Full All Morning

Chef-approved frozen breakfasts with more protein and better ingredients. Eating a healthy breakfast every morning is a great way to start the day, but most people don’t have time to cook. Whether you’re rushing out the door in the morning for work, taking the kids to school or both, there’s usually not much time in

CA scales back plan to ban student use of cell phones

By Carolyn Jones, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Until last month, California was poised to join nearly a dozen other states that ban cell phones in K-12 schools. But under pressure from school boards and administrators, lawmakers scaled back a bill that would have required such a

BulkQuant Launches AI Trading Bot for Crypto, Forex, and Stock Markets

BulkQuant Launches AI Trading Bot for Crypto, Forex, and Stock Markets

London, United Kingdom, May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BulkQuant has officially launched its AI trading bot platform designed for crypto, forex, and stock market traders seeking a simpler way to automate trading strategies across multiple financial markets. The platform combines AI-powered quantitative analysis, automated trade execution, portfolio monitoring, and adaptive risk management into a

IMF lauds resilient Hong Kong economy but warns of risks linked to Middle East war

IMF lauds resilient Hong Kong economy but warns of risks linked to Middle East war

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lauded the resilience of Hong Kong’s economy, noting a sustained recovery despite economic activity having yet to return to pre-Covid levels, while warning of downside risks stemming from escalating geopolitical tensions. It also urged Hong Kong to pursue medium-term financial reforms, including the introduction of a goods and services

Smithsonian Presidents Exhibit Reopens With Low-Key Trump Impeachment Mention

For the past year, the Smithsonian Institution has found itself in the awkward position of telling the nation’s story while being supported in part by a government that wants to narrow how that story is told. In December, the White House threatened to revoke funding to the institution if it did not hand over a

Marvel’s Daredevil Follow-up Is Already Dominating on Streaming

A follow-up to Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 on Disney+ has become a massive streaming success within days of its launch. The Punisher: One Last Kill has quickly climbed to the top of multiple charts, beating out other titles on the platform. The MCU television special follows the gun-toting vigilante, who finds himself targeted by

Is Now a Bad Time to Invest?

The market has been on a roll lately, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) setting new highs throughout May. If you think you missed your opportunity when the market bottomed in late March, don’t fret. The market hitting new all-time highs is not particularly rare and should not change your investment strategy. And if you

6 bids for Hong Kong land sale signal renewed confidence despite market caution

6 bids for Hong Kong land sale signal renewed confidence despite market caution

The Hong Kong government’s first land sale in the current financial year has drawn six bids, according to the Development Bureau, including those from the city’s largest developers, suggesting a more confident outlook for the residential property market. At the close of tender for Tung Chung Town Lot No 54 at Area 106A on Friday

Each Premier League team reranked: Man City rise; Chelsea, Liverpool collapse

Ryan O’Hanlon Close Ryan O’Hanlon ESPN.com writer Ryan O’Hanlon is a staff writer for ESPN.com. He’s also the author of “Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game’s Analytics Revolution.”  and  Bill Connelly Close Bill Connelly ESPN Staff Writer Bill Connelly is a writer for ESPN. He covers college football, soccer and tennis. He has been at

Trump departs China after two-day summit

Trump departs China after two-day summit

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Trump Wraps China Summit With Xi Jinping: What Are the Results? 05:41 Xi gives Trump rare tour of secret garden at heart of Chinese government 01:04 Now Playing Trump departs China after two-day summit 01:01 UP NEXT Special Report: Trump

Carol Chow was facing a bankruptcy petition by five people over unspecified debts at the time of her death. Photo: Dickson Lee

Embattled Hong Kong developer sued for HK$130 million, days after founder’s death

A Hong Kong property developer has been sued for HK$130 million (US$16.6 million) over allegedly breaching guarantor obligations in two bond subscription agreements, becoming the latest lawsuit to implicate the embattled company and following its founder’s sudden death earlier this week. Lofter Group, known for its urban renewal projects across the city’s core districts, and

Trump’s China visit left chip export issue unresolved

This report is from this week’s The Tech Download newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. One look at the roster of U.S. execs that cozied up to U.S. President Donald Trump on the 20+ hours flight from Alaska to China on Wednesday and you get a sense of the American delegation’s key focus

Why the Cerebras IPO matters for the AI race with China

Why the Cerebras IPO matters for the AI race with China

Cerebras, an AI chipmaker, saw its shares nearly double on Nasdaq, closing up 70% with a $95B market cap. Cerebras’s powerful chips are key in the US-China AI tech race. Chris Buskirk, co-founder and chief investment officer of 1789 Capital, a key Cerebras investor, says the company’s IPO is geopolitically significant. On Thursday, shares of

Fitbit Air vs Whoop Strap Comparison: Price, Features and AI

The Google Fitbit Air is very much the talk of the fitness tracking town right now, not only because it’s the first new Fitbit device that we’ve had in years, but it’s also one of the first big brands to go head-to-head with the established Whoop Strap (if you don’t count the Polar Loop and

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x