PHOENIX The Las Vegas Aces ascent back to the top of the WNBA is officially complete.
An arduous climb, which included the franchise foundering at the halfway point of the season, has resulted in a WNBA championship its third title in four seasons.
The Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night, winning Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals 97-86. In a desert duel, no player fared better than Aja Wilson, the four-time WNBA MVP. She placed an exclamation point on the series, ending it with a 31-point, nine-rebound performance and winning her second WNBA Finals MVP award.
You have your Mount Rushmore, shes alone on Everest, Aces coach Becky Hammon said. Theres no one around.
It would be hard to disagree with Hammon after another standout showing from the Aces forward. Wilson is a singular force. A star who front-faces not only her team, but the league as well. Wearing her signature Nike AOne sneaker, Wilson added to her crown with her deft spin moves, mid-range jumper and unmatched defensive acumen.
Shes a generational talent, Aces president Nikki Fargas said.
After clinching both of her prior two titles on the road, Wilson and the Aces have completed a three-of-a-kind. She set the tone in the first half, scoring 12 first-quarter points and helping Las Vegas jump out to a nine-point lead after 10 minutes. They extended their lead to 16 at halftime as the Mercury shuffled through lineup combinations, dealing with the absence of All-Star forward Satou Sabally, who suffered a concussion late in Game 3.
The Mercury briefly found life after coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected in the third quarter after he disputed a call with the referee. He seemed baffled as he left the court, surprised to receive the double technical foul. But the Phoenix crowd came to life, and the Mercury responded, cutting the Aces lead to six points before they eventually pulled away.
If there was any debate before, there should be little now: The Aces are the WNBAs preeminent dynasty. They are only the third franchise in league history to win three titles over four years. In an era of rapid turnover, their core has remained relatively consistent: Hammon has patrolled the sideline and has the highest win percentage in finals history. Guards Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray are vital parts, too.
Their past title runs were relatively smooth, but their path to this championship was far from guaranteed. The Aces entered the All-Star break at .500, the first time they were without a winning record at that point since Wilsons rookie season in 2018. For two months, Las Vegas defense was subpar, and its reworked roster that featured six newcomers on opening night struggled to click. A historic 53-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 2 the second-biggest defeat in WNBA history was a low point. But it sparked necessary reflection.
Las Vegas lost only three more times throughout the regular season and playoffs. On Friday, the Aces finished their 2025 climb. With a trophy in hand, the Aces, yet again, basked in the glorious view from the top.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, WNBA
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