Chelsea Gray is back in top form for the Las Vegas Aces, turning a season that started with uncharacteristic shots and a string of turnovers into a late-summer surge that has the team riding a season-long winning streak.
After a period of doubt and scrutiny over her fit and timing, Gray has become the catalyst for Las Vegas’ offense and a stabilizing force on the floor. The Aces extended the WNBA’s longest active win streak to eight games by beating the Atlanta Dream, moving the defending champions from as low as eighth in the standings to within a game of the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Gray’s transformation is underscored by the numbers. She’s averaged 7.4 assists per game during the eight-game stretch, up from 4.5 earlier in the season, and she tied the franchise record for assists in a game with 14 against the Dallas Wings. In the last five appearances, she hasn’t committed more than two turnovers, a clear sign of a more controlled, efficient game. The standout playmaking has complemented her all-around impact, including clutch moments that have defined the Aces’ recent wins.
Head coach Becky Hammon has noticed the change. “She looks like herself,” Hammon said after the latest win. “She looked different at the beginning of the season because she wasn’t being Chelsea Gray. She looks like Chelsea Gray now.” Hammon credited Gray for returning to the qualities that make her such a unique leader: a willingness to give, lift teammates, and raise the energy of the building when it matters most.
Grain of salt in the improvement, the Aces have also leaned into improved chemistry. The roster moves this offseason—adding guard Jewell Loyd and later shifting Loyd out of the starting lineup in favor of Kierstan Bell, plus the midseason acquisition of NaLyssa Smith—required time for the group to gel. The team leaned on the All-Star break to reconnect, even taking a light, bonding detour to an escape room in Phoenix that Wilson described as a practical example of the in-season camaraderie the group has cultivated.
Wilson, who often benefits from Gray’s distribution, emphasized the intangible: the confidence that Gray brings in late-game situations. “That fourth quarter, you have Chelsea leading the way. It gives you a sense of peace,” Wilson said. Gray’s defense has also helped the Aces in grinding out wins, including a sequence against Minnesota and a clutch steal and block to seal a victory in Phoenix.
Gray herself acknowledged that the recent stretch is as much about the team’s connection as individual performance. “It’s not just me, it’s everybody getting to know each other, and it’s on both ends of the floor. I think there’s a better flow. I’m in better shape. You want to be playing your best in August and September, as a team and individually,” she said.
Her October-to-August arc also includes a nod to her recent off-court achievements. In March in Miami, she earned Finals MVP honors after helping Rose BC win a championship in the debut season of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league—a testament to her enduring drive and leadership outside the traditional WNBA season.
As the Aces press toward the postseason, the journey back to Chelsea Gray’s “Point Gawd” form has not only sparked a win streak but also illustrated how a veteran leader can reinvigorate a championship core. The Aces’ improved chemistry, versatile defense, and Gray’s playmaking create a hopeful trajectory for a deeper playoff push and the chance to defend the title with a team that now looks fully dialed in as the season heads toward its final act.