Women’s basketball is on the rise and it can’t be felt from the collegiate ranks to the WNBA, which has just started its 2024 season. Not long after the WNBA’s season-opener, though, the league’s defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, are finding themselves in the middle of a controversy.
The Aces are reportedly being investigated by the WNBA over the team’s players getting $100,000 worth of sponsorship each from the Las Vegas tourism authority. It seems that there is a concern from teams around the league about whether such an offer to players is aligned with the league’s rules as it relates to the salary cap, most especially.
hundred thousand dollars is more than what many players get in the WNBA annually. That $100,000 is not going to be part of the players’ salaries, as it comes from outside of the Aces’ payroll. However, the move raised some flags because it could affect players’ decisions in the WNBA free agency.
Aces’ A’ja Wilson, Becky Hammon sounds off on investigation
Aces head coach Becky Hammon and Las Vegas star player A’ja Wilson have already voiced their thoughts on the investigation.
“I’m gonna put it to you real simple like this. Most of the sponsorship people go after the top two people A’s [Wilson] taking care. She’s got plenty of stuff going on, she can’t keep up with this stuff,” Hammon told the media on Saturday.
“In this situation from what I understand is they wanted the whole team So they went and called individual agents. I don’t know the details. I have nothing to do with it Yes, I have anything to do with it. It’s just odd, but that’s basically what happened.”
Wilson, meanwhile, said she’s surprised that the WNBA is even looking into it.
“Yeah I mean our agency kind of kept it to us because they really wanted us to hear from them. I think we get brought things from our agents all the time so they wanted to be a big moment because it’s something that’s never happened before so I don’t understand the investigation. I hadn’t really dived into it yet. I just looked at my phone and was like, ‘Oh, wow, just another day in the life of the Aces.’ We can’t ever start just normal it’s always gonna be something and that’s okay.”
Wilson also said that the WNBA can’t just put teams and players under the microscope that easily if it wants to continue seeing women’s basketball grow.
“But when we’re talking about growing the game, when we’re talking about taking that next step, it can’t always be investigate investigate investigate. It has to kind of be like, ‘Okay We’re trying to move the needle. We’re trying to make things better for franchises, for players, for teams.’ So I’m still a question mark to me, but on the player side from it I’m super grateful to be in a franchise in a city that constantly wants more out of us, that wants us, to just don’t worry about stuff just go play and go win and have fun at that. So I’m blessed with or without the hundred k Because at the end of the day, we’re going for something bigger than that and we’re gonna continue to do that, continue to be us.”
Aces off to a blazing start in the 2024 WNBA season
In any case, Las Vegas is doing just fine on the court. The Aces are now 2-0 to start the season after beating the Phoenix Mercury last Tuesday, 89-80, and the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, 89-82. Wilson posted 52 points and 23 rebounds in those two contests combined and she will look to do more damage when she and the Aces face the Mercury again this coming Tuesday at home.
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