Las Vegas, NV (April 16, 2022)—The Las Vegas Aces announced their 17-person training camp roster today as the team begins preparations for the 2022 WNBA Season this Sunday, April 17 at the UNLV Cox Pavilion practice courts (view roster).
The Aces finalized their roster with the signing of rookie free agent Nancy Mulkey. The 6-9 center led the Pac-12 in blocked shots this season, and earned All-Defensive Team honors for the Washington Huskies. Prior to transferring to Washington, Mulkey was a three-time Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year for Rice.
“We are excited to bring Nancy Mulkey in for training camp,” said Aces General Manager Natalie Williams. “She gives us more depth and versatility at the post spot, is a high IQ player who shoots well, and is great in the pick and roll action.”
Although there are 17 players on the Aces roster, two of them—forward Theresa Plaisance and center Kiah Stokes—are arriving to camp at a later date as they complete their overseas playing commitments.
Las Vegas added six new faces to the roster on draft day—five via the 2022 WNBA Draft, and one as a rookie free agent. They join a returning group which anchors one of only two teams in the league to advance to the WNBA semifinals in each of the last three seasons.
2020 WNBA M’VP A’ja Wilson leads the squad following a year which saw the forward set career highs in rebounds and assists, while earning a third All-Star nod, and an Olympic gold medal.
Guard Kelsey Plum and forward Dearica Hamby battled throughout the 2021 season for WNBA Sixth Player of the Year honors. Plum edged out Hamby, a two-time winner of the award, by a nose at year’s end after averaging a career-best 14.8 points per game, and connecting on a league-best 94.4 percent of her free throw attempts. Hamby earned her first All-Star appearance, while Plum led the U.S. 3×3 team to the gold medal in Tokyo.
Joining Plum on the podium in Japan was fellow Las Vegas guard Jackie Young, who recorded a career-high 12.2 points per game while finishing 11th in the WNBA in field goal percentage.
Las Vegas’ two key offseason free agent acquisitions from a year ago came as advertised. Point guard Chelsea Gray was named to her fourth All-Star Team and finished fourth in the league in assists. She also helped the U.S. to the gold at the Tokyo Olympics, giving the Aces four gold medalists in total. Guard Riquna Williams gave the Aces a WNBA-record seven double-digit scorers on the year, and connected on 41.7 percent of her shots from beyond the arc, which was the fifth best mark in the league.
Stokes, whom the team signed as a free agent mid-season a year ago, averaged more than six rebounds per game in an Aces uniform, and re-signed with the team during the offseason.
Other free agent signings in 2022 include guard Sydney Colson, who played for the franchise in 2019 and from 2015-17 when the team was in San Antonio; center Kalani Brown, a 2019 first round pick who has played in Los Angeles and Atlanta over the past three seasons; and Plaisance, a 6-5 forward who has made 33.4 percent of her three-pointers over 8 professional seasons.
Season ticket packages to Las Vegas Aces games in Becky Hammon’s debut season as head coach start as low as $10 per ticket ($180 for the season) for the 18-game home schedule which begins Sunday, May 8 vs. the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena.