The WNBA Finals will kick off on Friday with coaches Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces and Nate Tibbets of the Phoenix Mercury facing each other, both hailing from South Dakota. Despite the state’s small size, Hammon highlighted the strong basketball talent it has produced, including notable athletes like Mike Miller, Eric Piatkowski, and Mark Ellis. Hammon and Tibbets, who knew each other from high school games, developed a closer bond as NBA assistant coaches during the COVID year played in a bubble in Florida, engaging in pickleball matches.
The Aces have the opportunity to secure their third championship in four years, a feat achieved only by the Houston Comets in the league’s early years. A’ja Wilson, the league’s first four-time MVP, and Chelsea Gray are standout players to watch. In a Finals rematch, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, former members of the Connecticut Sun, will challenge the Aces, with Wilson expressing the excitement of competing against Thomas to elevate her game.
For the first time, the WNBA Finals will adopt a best-of-seven format, with the convenient proximity of Phoenix and Las Vegas reducing travel for the teams. Amidst the on-court action, off-court drama has unfolded, with players like Napheesa Collier criticizing the league’s leadership for lacking accountability, setting the stage for critical negotiations as the league faces a deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement.
