What happened in Vegas isn’t staying in Vegas as the world celebrated with the Las Vegas Aces on Monday when the team held its second consecutive WNBA championship parade.
A’ja Wilson was named series MVP as the Aces beat the New York Liberty in four games on Wednesday to win back-to-back titles. They are only the third franchise in league history to win consecutive championships. They rallied with starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes sitting out with injury to capture the final victory 70-69. Wilson had 24 points and 16 rebounds in the game and had a double-double in three of the four outings.
For the parade, the team rode in double decker buses down The Strip, smoking cigars and cheering with fans who lined the iconic street. Per the Las Vegas Sun, the celebration landed at Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena where a crowd of 5,000 season ticket holders and new fans alike applauded their champions with owner Mark Davis and rapstar 2 Chainz.
A’ja Wilson wears T-shirt with MVP votes
Several across the WNBA were stunned that A’ja Wilson was third in regular season MVP voting despite being in the top three of four statistical categories, including averaging a career-high 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds and leading the league with 2.2 blocks per game.
For the championship parade, she shimmied and did the griddy and waved to fans while wearing a T-shirt with the number of MVP votes she received listed on the back. There was even a No. 1 for the fourth-place vote that had her teammates and Aces coach Becky Hammon particularly incensed.
“Whoever you are out there that voted me fourth, thank you. Thank you so much,” Wilson said on stage. “I wanna say I appreciate you, ’cause that just means that I got a lot more work to do and we comin’ back.”
Hammon had high praise for Wilson’s leadership at the parade, saying that by the time the five-time All-Star retires, she will be known as the greatest player in all of basketball.
“I’m trying to think of an NBA comp. I’m trying to think of a WNBA comp. And there ain’t nobody in the world like A’ja Wilson,” Hammon said, “who willed us on her back and said, ‘Hey, I’m about to put you on my back. C’mon follow me.’ And we did.”
Chelsea Gray busts a move with walking boot
Chelsea Gray was the 2022 Finals MVP and was a major contributing factor in the first two games of the this year’s Finals before getting hurt in Game 3. She sat out Game 4 with a foot injury, but did not let it stop her from being a good teammate as she cheered on the sidelines.
At the parade, Gray was full-go as she rode down the red carpet on a scooter. She made her introduction on the stage dancing to E-40’s “Tell Me When to Go” complete with stunner shades and walking boot.
Kelsey Plum promises more titles, smokes another celebratory cigar
Kelsey Plum celebrated with a cigar just like last year and made her entrance on the stage by giving a big puff of smoke. She had 20-plus points in the first three games of the Finals, including a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 3.
While wearing an Under Armour T-shirt that celebrated the back-to-back championships, she told the adoring crowd that the Aces weren’t done winning.
“We’re just gonna keep coming back and everyone hates it,” Plum said. “Let’s go, baby!”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas Aces parade: A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray celebrate WNBA title
