Las Vegas Aces Coach Benches Starters in National TV Game, Citing Player Health and Scheduling Concerns

On Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, a highly anticipated national television WNBA showdown between championship contenders, the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, featured an unexpected lineup from the Aces. Head coach Becky Hammon chose to bench several key players, a decision widely interpreted as a statement regarding the league's scheduling of consecutive road games.

Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young—all regular starters for the Aces—were notably absent from the court. Instead, Jewell Loyd, Dana Evans, and Brianna Turner stepped into the starting roles. This was not merely a rotational adjustment for the start of the game; none of the benched players participated in the contest, only offering support from the sidelines.

This highly unusual strategy for a nationally televised ABC game against a major rival was defended by Hammon as a form of load management, even after the Liberty secured a dominant 111-71 victory at their home Barclays Center.

Coach's Rationale and Team Performance

The health and safety of players comes first. Wherever we end up, we end up, and we’ll play whatever hand is dealt to us. To me, this was a just a bigger picture type scenario, so you take the ‘L,’ understanding that it pays dividends on the back end.

Hammon articulated her rationale, emphasizing player welfare. The Aces had played the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, losing 98-87, with Wilson (33 minutes), Young (33 minutes), and Gray (36 minutes) all logging their typical heavy playing time. The subsequent short turnaround, particularly involving road travel, prompted Hammon to rest her key players.

She indicated that this decision was independent of the game's national broadcast status, aligning with her consistent stance on player well-being.