Becky Hammon had a pretty unfiltered analogy after Phoenix Mercury handed them a 33-point loss. “We’re giving 80 percent of the court for free before we touch anybody. It’s like trying to stop an intruder to get to your refrigerator, and they’re already in your kitchen,” Hammon said. “You got to meet them outside the white picket fence and start defending from there.” The defending champions were given a harsh reality check but Four-Time MVP A’ja Wilson took responsibility. 

To set the scene, A’ja Wilson and Co. were given custom rings with a unique design just before the game. The rings were diamond-laden designs featuring the Aces’ championship trophies from 2022, 2023 and 2025. The most interesting feature: a function where part of the ring can be removed for a more slimmed-down look. And then Mercury took over, stomping to a 99-66 victory where they never trailed. Despite topping the scoring charts, Wilson took it upon herself to do better. 

“I can’t ask everything of them if I’m not doing my job. I have to show up for them in any way that I can because I know I’m going to need them to show up for us,” Wilson said after the game. “I have to do the dirty work and the hard work to make sure I can get myself in positions to score the basketball, rebound the basketball, and do whatever needs to be done for our team.”

The Aces were defeated on all fronts. They were outrebounded 37-35, beaten on the fast break 10 times, conceded 17 turnovers and went only 21% from beyond the arc. Wilson herself had 19 points on 8-15 shooting while adding 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. But the defensive standards are higher for Wilson. 

She had the highest defensive rating on the team at 132.7 and a rebound rate of 8.5%. For context, Wilson’s rebound percentage was 16.3% last year. While that seems like nitpicking, that is the standard A’ja Wilson has set for herself. Nevertheless, Wilson is not pressing the panic button and is poised for a comeback. 

“I do take a lot of pressure on there, but they relieve the pressure as well when everyone’s firing on all cylinders and we’re clicking the right way. It’s game one, so it’s going to take some time,” Wilson further said. While the Aces’ lack of chemistry surprised fans in that first game, A’ja Wilson quashed a major misconception regarding that in the postgame press conference.

“It’s going to take time”: A’ja Wilson Shuts Down Myth After Mercury Loss

This offseason, the Las Vegas Aces had a simple goal: to retain their championship core. Don’t fix what is not broken, right? Naturally they hold a familiarity advantage over the other teams who have shuffled and are going through a roster turnover. However, the gap might not be as big as fans thought, with A’ja Wilson revealing the need for time to gel into their team. 

“Everyone assumed that because you play together for so long, you’re supposed to know each other like the back of your hand. We do, but it still takes time to get it all back together,” Wilson said. “We haven’t played basketball together as a whole since October, so it’s going to take time to get on time and on target. No matter how long we’ve played with each other, it still builds that trust back.”

Wilson has largely been inactive this offseason. She participated in one Team USA basketball camp and hasn’t played much competitive basketball otherwise. Chelsea Gray played for Team Rose in a 3v3 setting in Unrivaled. Jackie Young was also away from competitive basketball. Each one needs some period to adapt and reignite their teamwork. Once it clicks, the Aces could return to their original level that brought them multiple titles.