Jewell of the desert: Las Vegas Aces hope All-Star newcomer can help bring them back to the top

A big, bold message plastered on the wall near the entrance of Las Vegas Aces’ Henderson headquarters and practice facility reads, “the standard is excellence.”

Based on what coach Becky Hammon and the longtime star players on the two-time WNBA champion franchise say, those words weren’t always heeded last year. That’s changed throughout training camp ahead of the 2025 season. 

New trade-acquired, veteran guard Jewell Loyd, for one, says the simple credo is an inspiration every day going into practice. 

“You’re constantly reminded of all these things,” Loyd said. “We’re trying to hold everyone accountable. No one is off the hook, and I think that’s a good mindset to have.”

The Aces’ mission to become the WNBA’s first three-peat champions in 25 years fell short in 2024 when they lost in the playoff semifinals to the eventual champion New York Liberty. Hammon immediately credited the failure to the Aces losing their “edge,” a concern she had voiced all season.

They’ve sought to try to get it back this offseason as re-igniting the hunger for greatness and history became the impetus of everything, including personnel decisions.

Many lauded trading for Loyd because of her decorated career that includes leading the league in scoring in 2023, winning a pair of titles in 2018 and 2020 and making six All-Star teams. 

But what made the former Seattle Storm staple a fit in the minds of Hammon and the front office was her mentality. The 31-year-old has spent a decade in the league but still doesn’t feel like a finished product.

“I’m always going to compete,” Loyd said. “I’m always going to make sure I’m in shape. I’m going to talk when I need to. I think my effort and actions of how I show up speak a lot. I’m still learning.”

Loyd’s drive has created a new spark in practices, and not always in a pretty way.

She said teammates have regularly gotten frustrated with each other and engaged in occasional shouting matches. The hope is that it’s making them better prepared for a 13-team league that looks more competitive than ever before.

The critiques that Hammon freely shared about her team a year ago
have withered.

“They are not lacking any edge or fire or mental approach this year,” Hammon said. “This year, it’s not going to be a problem. That’s all I can tell you.”

The fate of the Aces may therefore be determined by the stylistic fit with Loyd in the backcourt. She takes the spot of Kelsey Plum, who had formed the WNBA’s most accomplished Big Four alongside unstoppable center A’ja Wilson, do-everything wing Jackie Young and consummate point guard Chelsea Gray.

Las Vegas tried to keep the sharpshooting/facilitating Plum with a one-year, supermax deal but she turned down more money in search of a fresh start and became the other centerpiece of the three-team deal that landed Loyd. The Aces sent Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, which shipped the Storm its No. 2 overall WNBA Draft pick (eventually used on French center Dominique Malonga).

The games of Plum, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2017, and Wilson, the overall No. 1 draft pick in 2018, were natural complements that led the Aces to championships in 2022 and 2023.

Loyd faces the challenge of developing a similar chemistry with the three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player Wilson as soon as possible.

It’s going to take some humility, as Loyd must accept she’s no longer the first option like she’s been the past two seasons in Seattle. Playing next to Wilson will also put pressure on Loyd’s three-point shooting, which plummeted to an inefficient 27.8% last season for her worst mark since she was a rookie, to optimize spacing.

But most of all, in Loyd’s mind, she must continue to level up her defensive game. The Aces still had the WNBA’s top offensive rating a year ago; it’s defense where they were more middling.

“It’s just effort and hard work,” Loyd said. “You can bring that out. We know we can score. We can do all these things on the other end but to have that mindset and really stress on defense, we’re challenging each other (to do that) every day.”

There’s not much of a sample yet but, in the Aces’ pair of preseason games, Loyd made four of her eight three-point attempts and occasionally spelled Young by taking on the toughest defensive assignment. Las Vegas won both games.

Like the Aces, Loyd might not be coming off her ideal season. Her production was down a year ago, but there were extenuating circumstances.

She accused the Storm’s coaching staff of bullying and harassment, though a league investigation found no violations. The Aces are still involved in litigation of a similar manner from alleged misdeeds three years ago with former Sixth Woman of the Year award winner Dearica Hamby.

Both Las Vegas and Loyd are eager to move on from the past. That’s part of the reason why they believe they’re a perfect pairing.

“For me, it’s making sure this year, I still have the joy playing basketball,” Loyd said. “It’s definitely back. I just want to have fun and honestly continue to be the best version of myself I can be every day.”

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.