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The Las Vegas Aces swept their two assignments in the preseason after beating the Phoenix Mercury by a hairline, 85-84, on Tuesday.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair throughout the game. But the Aces found an unlikely hero in undrafted rookie Deja Kelly, who scored their last eight points, including the game-winning jumper with 4.2 seconds left.
Kelly came off the bench to score a game-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, making a strong case for herself to make the final roster. A'ja Wilson, meanwhile, had all-around numbers despite only playing 22 minutes, tallying 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning basket.Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
On "The Women's Hoops Show" podcast, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes offered her early observations of Wilson, who's keen on leading Las Vegas back to the throne.
"A lot of people question like, 'Why didn't A'ja play in Unrivaled?'" said Swoopes. "A'ja was basically like, 'Listen, I need to rest my body.' I'm not mad at her because you can clearly see that she has put in work."
Wilson won her third MVP trophy last season after averaging career-highs of 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.6 blocks. She's arguably the best two-way player in the league, and Swoopes noted that the Las Vegas star has made another positive change in her game.
"The one thing I saw from A'ja was her three-ball," said the four-time champion. "Just shooting it with confidence, like, 'This is what I do.'
"Even last year was more of a 'Do I want to shoot this, do I not?' This, at least in the preseason, it was like, 'Oh yeah, this is what I do.'"
The 28-year-old Wilson missed her lone three-point attempt against the Mercury. In their previous preseason game versus the Dallas Wings, she went 1-of-4 from long distance. They clipped the Wings, 112-78.
The Aces will open their season against the defending champion New York Liberty on May 17.
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It was a nip-and-tuck affair throughout the game. But the Aces found an unlikely hero in undrafted rookie Deja Kelly, who scored their last eight points, including the game-winning jumper with 4.2 seconds left.
Kelly came off the bench to score a game-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, making a strong case for herself to make the final roster. A'ja Wilson, meanwhile, had all-around numbers despite only playing 22 minutes, tallying 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
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Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning basket.Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
On "The Women's Hoops Show" podcast, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes offered her early observations of Wilson, who's keen on leading Las Vegas back to the throne.
"A lot of people question like, 'Why didn't A'ja play in Unrivaled?'" said Swoopes. "A'ja was basically like, 'Listen, I need to rest my body.' I'm not mad at her because you can clearly see that she has put in work."
Wilson won her third MVP trophy last season after averaging career-highs of 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.6 blocks. She's arguably the best two-way player in the league, and Swoopes noted that the Las Vegas star has made another positive change in her game.
"The one thing I saw from A'ja was her three-ball," said the four-time champion. "Just shooting it with confidence, like, 'This is what I do.'
"Even last year was more of a 'Do I want to shoot this, do I not?' This, at least in the preseason, it was like, 'Oh yeah, this is what I do.'"
The 28-year-old Wilson missed her lone three-point attempt against the Mercury. In their previous preseason game versus the Dallas Wings, she went 1-of-4 from long distance. They clipped the Wings, 112-78.
The Aces will open their season against the defending champion New York Liberty on May 17.
Related: Sheryl Swoopes Makes Her Choice for WNBA MVP Extremely Clear
Related: A'ja Wilson Receives Sharp Warning From WNBA All-Star After MVP Win
Related: A'ja Wilson Receives Sharp Warning From WNBA All-Star After MVP Win
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