Welcome to the firs edition of Saturday Aces. This is where we take a look at the stories surrounding the WNBA’s newest team the Las Vegas Aces.

During the off-season the San Antonio Stars were sold and moved. This season they are now the Las Vegas Aces and with the signing of Bill Laimbeer as general manager and coach, they are going to go in a different direction.

They moved on Kayla Alexander, traded for Kelsey Bone as well as signed Carolyn Swords and Tamera Young. With the number one pick in the WNBA draft they selected A’Ja Wilson to round out a talented young core.

The Aces have 22 players on their training camp roster. Laimbeer has the unenviable task of cutting this to the required 12 for the season. Here is how the Aces probably view their roster.

 

Definite Probable Fighting for a spot
Dearica Hamby Kelsey Bone Valeriane Ayayi
Isabelle Harrison Sydney Colson Cierra Burdick
Moriah Jefferson Sequoia Holmes Nia Coffey
Kayla McBride Jaime Nared Jacki Gemelos
Kelsey Plum Carolyn Swords Brooke Johnson
A’Ja Wilson Tamera Young Kahlia Lawrence

Raigyne Louis

Ji-Su Park

Ivey Slaughter

Morgan William

The top six if this team are a lock. There is a bigger talent gap between this top six and the rest of their squad than any other team in the league. Kayla McBride is the best scorer on this team. Moriah Jefferson is a little injury prone but her scoring and creativity give this team an unpredictability which is required to win.

Kelsey Plum has the ability to be anything with a great 3-point stroke and the ability to gain chemistry with almost anyone. A’Ja Wilson has an elite size as well as the ability to shoot. She is yet to play in the league but it is difficult not seeing her abilities translating into the pro’s.

Isabelle Harrison is a quick, athletic player who is tough to match up on. Dearica Hamby is a spark off the bench, in my opinion should have been very much in the running for Sixth Woman of the Year last season.

Of the probable list, both Kelsey Bone and Carolyn Swords have injury concerns but were traded for to be on this team. Tamera Young is a lock as she is one of the most Laimbeer style players the league has ever seen.

Sydney Colson and Sequoia Holmes are great voices for the locker room, as well providing valuable leadership on court. Jaime Nared is the player on this list which is the most danger of missing out. She was taken in the second round but faces stiff competition from the rest of the squad.

The other ten players who are fighting for a spot will all be given a great chance. Ji-Su Park, Nia Coffey and Cierra Burdick all have a good shot at making the team. Brooke Johnson has shown in camp that she has the ability to find players, take a look at the video below

The Aces start off their preseason by hosting the Chinese National Team on the 6th of May. They then do not play again until the 13th of May where they take on the Dallas Wings in Dallas.

The Aces then open the regular season taking on the Connecticut Sun in Connecticut on the 20th of May.

Come back next week for the second edition of Saturday Aces

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