A’ja Wilson won’t be satisfied until Las Vegas Aces reach Bill Russell status

In Super Squads, The Athletic follows the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces in their quests to win a WNBA championship. Our reporters will tell the stories of the players on two of the most star-studded teams in league history and examine how their paths shape the future of the WNBA.

LAS VEGAS — With less than a minute to play in the first game of the WNBA semifinals, the Las Vegas Aces led the Dallas Wings by 17 points. Despite the win comfortably in hand for the defending champs, A’ja Wilson attempted to steal an entry pass from Crystal Dangerfield, and her momentum led her out of bounds. She had to jump over the courtside seats in order to avoid falling over.

After averting disaster, Wilson gave a quick curtsy to the fans behind the bench before returning to the floor, where she was greeted by laughter from Kelsey Plum and Alysha Clark, but also a stern talking-to from Chelsea Gray, who told her to sub out for the rest of the afternoon.

On a day that showcased the very best of Wilson on the basketball court, that moment encapsulated what makes the superstar so special to the Aces and to the league at large: no one plays harder than the two-time MVP, and no one has more fun while doing it.

Chelsea said she respects the hustle but uh uh go sit down 😂@cgray209 //