Aces Rest Three Stars Amid Brutal WNBA Travel Schedule

The Las Vegas Aces rest three stars — A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young — for Sunday’s game against the New York Liberty, following one of the most punishing stretches of travel in the WNBA season.

Why the Aces Rested Three Stars

The decision to have the Aces rest three stars came after the team landed in New York close to 10 p.m. on Saturday, only hours removed from a nationally televised loss to the Minnesota Lynx. The flight from Minneapolis stretched almost 1,200 miles, leaving Las Vegas with less than half a day before tip-off against the Liberty.

Head coach Becky Hammon confirmed the move, listing Wilson, Gray, and Young as out for rest on the official injury report. She did not shy away from criticizing the scheduling, questioning whether such a short turnaround between games in different time zones would even be permitted under NBA rules. According to a league source, both the NBA and WNBA bar teams from traveling across two time zones with less than 22 hours between games on back-to-back days — a threshold the Aces’ trip appeared to brush right up against.

A Trip That Demanded Rest

The choice to have the Aces rest three stars followed a stretch that included five road games in eight days, starting with a matchup in Atlanta the previous Monday. Just three days before resting, the same trio helped Las Vegas edge Indiana 86-84, with Chelsea Gray delivering back-to-back buzzer-beaters — one to force overtime and another to seal the win.

Despite Saturday’s loss in Minnesota, the Aces sit at 22-10 and remain third in the overall standings, though they lost ground to the Golden State Valkyries over the weekend.

WNBA Commissioner Sends Memo on Transgender Debate

Separately, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to all 13 teams on Friday, addressing the ongoing conversation around transgender participation in women’s basketball. The memo, obtained by the Associated Press and ESPN, acknowledged that the topic is complex and will likely continue to draw significant attention. Engelbert said the league office would keep approaching the issue carefully and in line with its values, with a task force of team presidents and general managers set to meet the following week.

The discussion intensified after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham voiced support for keeping transgender women out of women’s sports in a late-July ESPN profile. Her comments led to small demonstrations in Seattle and Portland during the Fever’s road trip, along with a rally outside Chicago’s United Center before Indiana’s game against the Sky. Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White further stoked the story by announcing plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, saying they identify as women — though neither meets the league’s eligibility requirements.

The WNBA Players Association responded with a statement backing inclusion and diversity while making clear the union would not be used as a political tool by outside groups. Under current league rules, only women are eligible to compete, though the WNBA has not publicly detailed its exact policy language on gender identity.

Sources: ESPN, AP, Yahoo Sports, TSN, NewsNation, SI