Four Reasons to Pay Attention to the LV Aces

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After getting ousted from playoff contention in the second to last game of the regular season, the Aces have a long offseason in front of them. However, Aces fans have a lot to look forward to when the WNBA season picks up again next summer. Here are four reasons why you should be paying attention to the Vegas’ new sports gem.

A’ja Wilson

Okay, Wilson is an obvious part of this list, but her value goes beyond her current team. Wilson, this year’s first overall pick, looks like she is going to be the next generational talent in the league. This season, she averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. Those numbers are only going to increase as she continues to get experience. As the WNBA craves more attention from the media, players like Wilson are needed to expand the league’s growth.

Off the court, Wilson has established an entertaining social media presence. Here are some of the Twitter highlights from A’ja:

Just because we have the same last name does NOT mean we are cousins! I’m sorry got the wrong family tree but please stop DMing me saying that we are 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) August 18, 2018

S/o to @FloydMayweather thank you for the support ✊🏽 #HisChainsAlmostBlindedMe #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/DqmzVQyWpq

— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) August 14, 2018

154M ……….. must. be. nice. We over here looking for a M 🙃 but Lord, let me get back in my lane pic.twitter.com/IFDZLlI53z

— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018

The last tweet is her most infamous as she sparked a week-long debate on Twitter on how WNBA players should be paid. While she is not the first to criticize the wage gap between the two leagues, A’ja quickly became the face of the movement to pay WNBA players more money. LeBron James even expressed support for the Aces after Wilson’s tweet.

When the King becomes an Ace. (via @LVAces) pic.twitter.com/TRupMnDO1N

— espnW (@espnW) July 28, 2018

Wilson is going to be around for a while and brings a loveable tenacity on and off the court. The marketing team for the Aces will have plenty to work with as long as Wilson wears a Vegas uniform.

Unexpected Super Fan…Shea Serrano

One of the biggest problems with the league is a lack of narrative (or the sports media’s proclivity of not spreading WNBA narratives). However, one member of the media has emerged as a super fan, and he is enjoying every second of the Aces season. The Ringer’s Shea Serrano seemingly out of nowhere started rage tweeting about the Aces. His biggest contribution came when he tried to push the fan vote to send Aces’ guard Kayla McBride to the all-star game. Here are some of Shea’s twitter highlights:

https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/1016468575853441024

He is also the King of typing in ALL CAPS.

https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/1030611251251085312

https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/1017950556353163264

There are countless tweets of Shea going off on Twitter in all-caps. He is a must follow for any Vegas fans out there looking for reactionary comments in the Twittersphere.

Kayla McBride

Every superstar, like Wilson, needs a sidekick and McBride fits the bill perfectly for the Aces. The five-year vet averaged a career-high 18.5 points a game and had nine games of scoring 20 or more points. The future of the franchise lies in the hands of Wilson and McBride. They were Vegas’ lone all-stars this season and will need another piece to contend with the elite teams in the WNBA. However, the top teams in the league are aging, and a young team like the Ace’s could take the league by storm once the roster shapes out. The team missed the playoffs this year, but McBride and Wilson are just getting started.

Another Las Vegas Sports Team Means More Gambling

Once the San Antonio Stars moved to Vegas and became the Aces, the opportunity for gambling on the team opened up. On top of that, the Aces are not the only professional sports team to arrive in Vegas. The Golden Knights became Vegas’ first hockey team and went to the Stanley Cup in their first year. The Oakland Raiders are also planning on moving to the city after the upcoming 2018-19 NFL season. The people of Nevada are excited and are going to open their wallets to support their new sports haven.

With that in mind, there are going to be gamblers who aren’t interested in the WNBA who are going to put money on random wagers. If the Aces add another scoring threat go along Wilson and McBride, the team is going to be very good. And if the team is an almost-sure-win next season, more money will be gambled on the Aces. That will only lead to excitement for the fan base, and probably more exposure for the team as well.