The word is out: Tiffany Hayes is coming out of retirement to heat up the already loaded Las Vegas Aces roster. The 2017 All-Star addition was announced while the team was on the road Friday morning, coming off an 80-66 win against the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday.
“Even though she's announced her retirement we just think she's a heck of a player,” head coach Becky Hammon said before Friday night's game against the Dream in Atlanta.
With a career-high of 17.2 points per game, the Aces coach said she's excited about the possibilities.
“She's buckets! That's what excites me the most,” Coach Hammon added.
Hayes played her first 10 seasons in the league with Atlanta. Prior to the 2023 campaign, the two-time NCAA champion signed with the Connecticut Sun. After starting all 40 regular season games for the Sun–averaging 12 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists–the team could not lock down a championship. She scored 15 points in a Game 4 elimination defeat against the New York Liberty in the second round of the postseason.
Hayes retired after that season. But, when the opportunity to join the two-time WNBA champions came knocking, the veteran guard answered.
“Joining the Aces will be very exciting for me,” Hayes shared in a statement the Aces posted on their website Friday morning. “I'm just grateful that they are willing to work with me as I am diving head first into a new era in my life.”
And there will be work to put in for Hayes and the Aces.
Coach Hammon said she hopes to get Hayes up to speed before the next leg of away games. “The biggest thing is getting her acclimated to our system,” Hammon noted.
The Aces' winning system
The All-Star coming back to the league is a surprise, but the Aces making a move was expected. Though the Las Vegas roster is filled with star athletes, there were a few holes. Not to mention that the team has an open roster spot after waiving rookie Dyashia Fair.
While the move was expected, it was a surprise that it came this quickly. Furthermore, no one probably had Hayes on their radar.
But let’s not forget, Hayes is a massive addition for the Aces. Beyond her 12.1 points per game average for the Sun last season, the returning guard connected on 36.6% of her 3-pointers. Most importantly, she's a defender, something that’s been a sore spot for the defending champions.
“Being that we don't know the exact date for Chelsea, we felt like we needed to add another guard that had some experience,” Hammons shared. It's worth noting that Chelsea Gray remains out of play due to a left leg injury, and it is unknown when she will return. Now, the hope is that Hayes will help fill the hole Gray has left while sidelined.
“She's somebody who's actually given us buckets in the past, so I know she's a super tough guard. Plays both ends of the floor. So that depth for us is just huge,” Hammon added.
Though the details of her contract have yet to be revealed, the excitement around Hayes is already apparent.
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