Wrapping Up 2023 – Las Vegas Aces’ Consecutive Title Win, Breanna Stewart MVP Award and Other Top WNBA Moments

2023 is fleeting away. Hence, it is apt to reminisce our favorite moments from the WNBA 2023 that lit the fans’ faces and cheered them up. From the Aces winning back to back championships to Breanna Stewart bagging her second MVP award, it was a roller coaster ride in many aspects.

But did you know a player from Seattle Storm trumped both WNBA veterans Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson? 

1) Aces win back-to-back championships

The Las Vegas Aces won the second title consecutively in WNBA 2023. They defeated the New York Liberty with a 3-1 margin. While the Aces won the first, second and fourth games, the Liberty had a solitary victory in the third game.

With this win, the Aces joined the league of legendary teams such as the Los Angeles Sparks and the Houston Comets. While the Comets emerged triumphant in the first four WNBA seasons, the Sparks made headlines when they had captured the 2001-02 title. Thus, the Aces landed in good company. 

2) A’ja Wilson bags Finals MVP

Placed third on the list, the Aces leader A’ja Wilson lost the MVP race to her opponent Breanna Stewart. However, she showed her prowess in the Finals and displayed why she was a bankable player in the WNBA. The 27-year-old smashed a double-double in three of the four Final games she played, helping her team clinch the Championship title.

While she smoked 26 points and nabbed 15 rebounds in Game 2, Wilson soused 16 points with 11 rebounds in the third game. The fourth game which the Aces won by a narrow margin of 70-69 had the Aces forward thrash 24 points with 16 rebounds.

3) Brittney Griner returns to the court

WNBA star Brittney Griner showed her interest in playing for the 2023 WNBA after she was released from the Russian prison in December 2022. The Texas-born was arrested in Russia on drug charges and had initially got a 9-year sentence. Griner was then let go as a part of a prisoner exchange deal.

With her return, Griner made waves this season as she basketed an average of 17.5 points per match with 6.3 rebounds per contest in the 31 games she played during the regular season. Sparking an excitement in her fans, Griner seemed to continue from where she had left in 2021 season.

4) Breanna Stewart wins the MVP

The New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart won the MVP for the second time in WNBA 2023. Previously she had won the MVP award in 2018. Stewart received 20 first-place votes – 3 lesser than her competitor the Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas.

Stewart edged past in terms of points with a staggering 446 number. Overall, Stewart bashed an average of 23 points in the 40 games she played during the regular season with 9.3 rebounds per contest.

5) Diana Taurasi shatters record

The WNBA star Diana Taurasi became the first player to cross 10,000 regular season points in the cash-rich league. Taurasi accomplished the feat during a game against the Atlanta Dream as the Mercury decimated their opponents by a respectable margin of 91-71.

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The California-born shot a three-pointer to cross the milestone score. She continued to amaze all with her brilliance in the WNBA as she now stands at a record 10108 points miles ahead of the next player – Tina Thompson who has scored 7488 points.

6) ⁠Aliyah Boston wins Rookie of the Year

The Indiana Fever won the draft lottery and landed the No. 1 pick of the WNBA 2023 – former South Carolina Gamecocks star Aliyah Boston. Boston did not take the extra COVID-19 year and declared for the draft.

She made the most of the opportunity presented to her, scoring an average of 14.5 points per game with 8.4 rebounds per match. Boston became the first rookie in nearly a decade who unanimously won the Rookie of the Year and also made it to the All-Star Game.

7) A Bay Area team announced

The WNBA regularly saw fans and critics wanting new teams. The demand was finally met when the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that a new team will be formed in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be operational from the 2025 season.

Other than that, there are also discussions on having a 14th team in the WNBA. The decision for the Bay Area team was taken in October and marked a major moment in the growth of the WNBA.

8) ⁠A’ja Wilson smashes highest points in a single game

The Las Vegas Aces veteran A’ja Wilson made headlines once again as she equaled the Dallas Wings star Liz Cambage’s record for most points in a single game. Wilson besotted 53 points against the Atlanta Dream as the Aces trumped their opponents by a 112-100 margin.

The moment happened in August and had a lot of fans vying for her to perform exceptionally well in the WNBA 2023.

9) Maya Moore retire

The former Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore had taken a hiatus from the WNBA in 2019. She did it to dedicate more time for reforms in the American Justice System. However, in January 2023, Moore officially announced her retirement from the cash-rich league on the ‘Good Morning America’ Show.

Overall, Moore tallied a staggering 18.4 points per game in the 271 games she played with 5.9 rebounds per match and 3.3 assists per game. She also had a decent 38.4% three-pointer percentage and a 45.3% field goal percentage. 

10) Jewell Loyd edges past Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson

The Seattle Storm guard made the record for smashing the most points in a singular season by scoring 939 points. This season was historic in this regard. It also saw stars such as Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson also register their name by dropping 919 and 912 points respectively.

Loyd’s season-best stat came against the Minessota Lynx when she throttled 41 points in a 99-97 overtime loss to the Lynx. 

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All in all, this was one of the most exciting WNBA seasons. And hopefully this was just the tip of icebergs with the next WNBA year bringing more thrill.