Three of a kind! The Las Vegas Aces can now call themselves the WNBA’s latest dynasty.

The Aces secured the 2025 WNBA championship following a 97-86 win over the Phoenix Mercury Friday to sweep the Finals.

It is Las Vegas’ third title in four seasons and were led by no other than superstar A’ja Wilson.

The Las Vegas Aces have done it again — and this time, they’ve made history. In a commanding display of power, poise, and pure basketball brilliance, the Aces completed a flawless 4–0 sweep over the Phoenix Mercury to capture the 2025 WNBA Championship, cementing their status as one of the most dominant dynasties in league history. With the win, Las Vegas becomes the first team in nearly two decades to secure back-to-back-to-back titles, further solidifying their place among the sport’s all-time greats.

The final game, played in front of a roaring sellout crowd at Michelob ULTRA Arena, was less a contest and more a coronation. The Aces stormed to an early lead and never looked back, defeating the Mercury 98–72 in a performance that showcased their trademark blend of offensive precision and defensive intensity.

Finals MVP Jackie Young once again led the charge, delivering 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in what many are calling one of the most complete performances of her career. “We knew what we came here to do,” Young said after the game, emotion in her voice. “We didn’t just want to win — we wanted to make a statement.”

From the opening tip, that statement was loud and clear. The Aces played with a relentless edge that left Phoenix scrambling for answers. A’ja Wilson, the two-time league MVP, controlled both ends of the floor, posting 22 points and 13 rebounds while anchoring the defense that suffocated Mercury star Brittney Griner throughout the series.

Kelsey Plum added 18 points, including four crucial three-pointers that ignited the crowd and deflated Phoenix’s momentum. “This team doesn’t let up,” said head coach Becky Hammon after the final buzzer. “They don’t take plays off, they don’t take nights off — and that’s what champions do.”

The sweep was more than just a series victory — it was a showcase of everything that makes the Aces special. From their depth to their discipline, Las Vegas executed every possession with surgical precision. Their defense rotated flawlessly, closing out shooters and forcing Phoenix into tough, contested shots. On offense, the ball movement was seamless, with six players scoring in double figures in Game 4. Even role players like Alysha Clark and Kiah Stokes contributed crucial minutes, making the kind of hustle plays that championship teams are built on.

For the Mercury, it was a painful end to what had been an inspiring postseason run. Led by Griner and veteran guard Diana Taurasi, Phoenix defied expectations to reach the Finals after a rocky start to the season. But against Las Vegas, their magic ran out. The Aces’ combination of youth, speed, and physical dominance proved too much to handle. “They’re just on another level right now,” Taurasi admitted after the loss. “You can’t make mistakes against them — not one. They punish everything.”

This title marks Las Vegas’s third consecutive championship, a feat not achieved since the Houston Comets’ legendary run in the league’s early years. But what makes this one special, fans and analysts agree, is how the Aces have evolved. After facing adversity earlier in the season — including injuries to key players and the pressure of expectations — they didn’t just survive; they adapted and grew stronger. “People thought maybe we’d slow down, maybe someone else would catch us,” Wilson said with a grin during the trophy presentation. “But the truth is, we were just getting started.”

The 2025 campaign was one of the toughest yet for Las Vegas. Opponents entered every game gunning for them, eager to be the team that finally knocked the champs off their throne. But the Aces answered every challenge, finishing the regular season with a league-best 32–8 record before sweeping through the playoffs with ruthless efficiency. Their perfect Finals run marked the culmination of years of chemistry, trust, and shared hunger. “We’ve built something special here,” coach Hammon said. “It’s not just about talent — it’s about culture, belief, and accountability. These women have bought in completely.”

The Finals MVP award was almost too close to call, with both Wilson and Young putting up elite numbers throughout the series. But it was Young’s consistency, leadership, and clutch shooting that ultimately tipped the scales. Averaging 24.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists over the four games, she was unstoppable — slicing through defenses, locking down opponents, and setting the tone on both ends. “Jackie’s been incredible,” Wilson said, smiling proudly beside her teammate. “She deserves every bit of this. She’s the engine that keeps us going.”

Beyond the box scores and accolades, the Aces’ win carries greater significance for the WNBA as a whole. Their dominance has elevated the league’s visibility, inspiring a new generation of fans and players. From packed arenas to surging TV ratings, Las Vegas has helped turn women’s basketball into one of the fastest-growing sports stories in America. “You can feel the momentum,” Hammon said. “The crowds are bigger, the noise is louder, and the respect is growing. That’s what this team represents — not just winning games, but pushing the game forward.”

The celebrations that followed were as electric as expected. Confetti rained down as players danced and embraced, tears of joy mixing with the glittering glow of a third championship trophy. Wilson, holding the trophy high above her head, shouted to the crowd, “Vegas, this is for you!” The arena erupted, the sound echoing like thunder through the desert night.

Even amid the jubilation, there was a sense of reflection — an acknowledgment of how rare and extraordinary this moment truly is. In a league defined by competition and parity, the Aces have managed to build a juggernaut that feels both inevitable and inspiring. “We’re witnessing greatness,” ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike said during the postgame broadcast. “What Becky Hammon and these women have done isn’t just winning — it’s rewriting history in real time.”

As the champagne flowed and players took turns cutting down the net, fans couldn’t help but wonder: is this the end of an era, or just the beginning of something even greater? For the Aces, the answer seems clear. “Dynasty? Sure,” Plum said with a grin. “But we’re not done yet. We’ve got more history to make.”

With their third straight title in hand and a roster still bursting with talent, the Las Vegas Aces have officially transformed from champions into legends. And as the lights dimmed over the court, one truth shone brighter than ever — in the WNBA, the road to glory still runs straight through Las Vegas.

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The 29-year-old Wilson finished with 31 points and nine rebounds to add another ring to her collection of accolades which include being named MVP for a record-breaking fourth time this season.

It wasn’t the only history Wilson made.

She was named Finals MVP for the second time in her career, and has now become the first player in WNBA history to win MVP, FMVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.

An emotional Wilson shared an embrace with her partner, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, following the win.

“For us to be able to celebrate this, it’s truly special,” Wilson told ESPN on making history. “We worked our butts off to get to this point. And now its time to have some fun. I wish I could take this credit but this is God’s work. This ain’t got nothing to do with me. This is not about X’s and O’s. This is from what’s inside.”

Just like the story in Game 3 a few days ago, it wasn’t an easy road to victory for Las Vegas.

Despite a 16-point deficit going into halftime, the Mercury have proven in these Finals that no one can ever count them out.

Phoenix clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter, cutting the Aces lead to just 12 behind forward Kahleah Copper scoring 12 of her 30 points in the period.

Late in the third, it all came to a crashing halt as Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected after being issued a double technical for arguing a foul call on guard Monique Akoa Makani.

The second-year coach appeared to be confused after the foul call before exiting the court and heading into the locker room tunnel.

The ejection grew the ire of Copper.

“I think the refs aren’t doing a good job tonight, I’m sorry,” Copper told ESPN during an in-game interview. “But we’ve just got to keep our heads.”

The Mercury kept up their resilience throughout the fourth quarter, turning it into a six-point game at one point but Las Vegas proved to be too much.

Copper would foul out of the game late in the fourth quarter just as the Aces appeared to have all but wrapped up the victory.

The Aces have now won their third title in four seasons.
Stephen Gosling/NBAE/Getty Images

As the buzzer sounded and Aces players and coaches rushed onto the Mortgage Matchup Center floor to celebrate the win, guard Chelsea Gray commended her team for getting through the adversity they faced all season.

“This team has been through hell and back,” an emotional Gray told ESPN after the game before hugging head coach Becky Hammon. “What a run. Everyone stepped up. Everybody. We got the best player in the world in A’ja Wilson. … We’re champions bro.”

The start of the 2025 season was a grueling one for the Aces, starting out 14-14 before winning their last 16 regular season games.

As WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was booed loudly while addressing the Phoenix crowd, it was Aces and NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis who got to hoist the WNBA championship trophy first.

A fiery way to end the 2025 WNBA Finals

The loss is a familiar feeling for Phoenix, who have now lost in the WNBA Finals for the second time in five years.

Tibbetts didn’t mince words about his ejection and the refereeing.

“To me, that’s embarrassing. I feel bad that I was tossed. Been around this game a long time. I think it’s one of the weakest double technicals ever,” Tibbetts told reporters after the game. “I didn’t even know I got the second one, to be completely honest. I don’t understand it.”

Tibbetts added he wasn’t trying to get himself ejected.

“We’re playing for our playoff lives. Most coaches when they get tossed, you’re doing it on purpose. That was not my intention at all,” he added. “There’s been issues with the officiating all year. I have to look at it. I feel like I didn’t deserve that.”

When asked about her comments to ESPN during the game, Copper stopped short of expanding on her feelings.

“It’s cool. It’s done. We don’t even got to talk about that. It’s cool. It’s done,” Copper said.

Phoenix has won three championships in their franchise history, the last coming in 2014. The team came into Friday’s win-or-go-home game shorthanded after forward Satou Sabally sustained a concussion late in Game 3 and suffered another blow when forward Alyssa Thomas appeared to injure her shoulder before halftime.

She returned in the second half, but it was apparent the injury bothered her the rest of the way.

Thomas told reporters her shoulder was “good” and said she was proud of the way her team responded all season.

“I think this team just showed what we’re about. It’s a game I don’t think I ever been a part of like that, but super proud of how we fought, continued to play through everything. It’s been a great season. No one expected us to even be here,” Thomas said.