On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 07/06/2021

The Las Vegas Aces held an off day media session featuring Head Coach Bill Laimbeer and players Riquna Williams and Dearica Hamby. The main topics covered were the upcoming Olympics break, parity in the WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury, their next opponent.

Coach Laimbeer started by waking us through the plans for the Olympics break. The team will take off about three weeks, before returning to practice. The break comes at a time when the Aces are rolling, even without Angel McCoughtry, who is out for the season with an ACL injury. The Aces are tied with the Seattle Storm for the best record in the WNBA at 14-4. The hope is all the Aces return in shape and regain midseason form quickly. Unfortunately, there will only be a few full team practices upon the return before the first game.

The next topic was the Phoenix Mercury and Diana Taurasi. Obviously, Coach Laimbeer has tremendous respect for Taurasi, but he was also quick to bring Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins-Smith and others into the conversation. Despite a 7-9 record, the Mercury is a talented team.

Lastly, Coach Laimbeer discussed the parity of the league. Seattle, Las Vegas and Connecticut clearly have the best records and the rest of the league is hovering around the .500 mark or worse. Coach Laimbeer felt there would be even more separation between the best, middle and worst coming soon.

Williams also addressed the competitive balance of the WNBA, by saying she doesn't think about other teams. Her focus is only on the Aces.

She is looking forward to the break, but she also wants to get back to the action. The Aces are going for the title and to get that title, they need to be back on the court.

Last in the session, Hamby started by talking about the Sixth Woman of the Year award. She has won it the last two seasons and is in the running again this season. He recent double-double off the bench definitely helps her cause. Ever humble, Hamby stated it sould be cool, but there are also several other talented sixth woman possibilities around the league. Despite naming other players, I think Hamby is the frontrunner right now.

Hamby also discussed playing Phoenix and Taurasi. mentioning their talent. She also gave a glimpse into the strategy of the Aces.

To finish the session, Hamby talked about her shot that beat the Chicago Sky in last season's playoffs. That buzzer-beating halfcourt bomb was called the "Shot of the Year" by WNBA.com. As a Chicago fan, that shot hurt, but I had to respect her for making it. I watched that shot several times that night and many times since. Hamby laughed a bit, saying she really hasn't watched it that much, except when it is shown online or on sports shows.

Las Vegas hosts Phoenix tonight, then Minnesota on Friday, before finishing the first part of the season at Dallas. The Aces should sweep those games and go into the break 17-4. Meanwhile, Seattle has five games left, home against Atlanta and home-and-away versus Los Angeles and Phoenix. Seattle should win all five and go into the break at 19-4.

Las Vegas and Seattle should end the season 1-2 in the Western Conference. Because the WNBA ignores conferences when seeding for the playoffs, the Aces and Storm would still be the top two seeds in the playoffs. Like last season, they wouldn't meet each other until the Finals, should they both advance that far. Right now, I'd have to say that is the most likely scenario. 

That media session can be found at On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 07/06.2021. Check back here for my recurring coverage of the WNBA.

On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 06/16/2021

The Las Vegas Aces held a practice day media session featuring Head Coach Bill Laimbeer and players A'ja Wilson and Destiny Slocum. Wilson started the session with a fun question she asked Coach Laimbeer.

Things got a little more serious as Coach Laimbeer fielded questions from the real press. First, he discussed the state of the team. Despite being 9-3 in second place in the WNBA Western Conference, the team is not yet where he wants it to be. Not being negative, Coach Laimbeer cited areas needing improvement, as well as strengths of the team.

Coach Laimbeer then talked about center Liz Cambage, who returned to the team after missing last season. He noted the differences in her play this season versus her last season.  

On the topic of women coaching in the NBA, Coach Laimbeer gave straightforward and insightful thoughts. There are opportunities in the NBA now for women and the money is much better than in the WNBA. While these women are losses to the WNBA, other women will get opportunities in their absences.

Lastly, Coach Laimbeer talked about the schedule of the WNBA. With three games against New York in a short span, he sees it as both an advantage and disadvantage, depending on timing. The Aces haven't played the Chicago Sky at all, but will now face the team when it is back at full strength.

Wilson started her session talking about the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Wilson attended a game and enjoyed participating in the pre-game entertainment. She also talked about the importance of women, including Dawn Staley, getting more opportunities in the NBA. She finished by discussing the WNBA All-Star game being in Las Vegas this season. I'm sure she will be playing in that game in front for her home team crowd.

Rookie Slocum closed out the session, starting with talking about her role on the team and her preparation. Sitting on the bench doesn't mean not being in the game. She takes her role seriously and uses her time on the bench to learn and to help her teammates. She talked about the adjustments she has had to make and the biggest challenges and differences in transitioning to the WNBA.

When asked about being complimented by Coach Laimbeer, Slocum talked about the impact of it. Coach Laimbeer has a reputation as being gruff and hard, but he is admittedly brutally honest. A compliment from Coach Laimbeer carries a lot of weight.

Las Vegas is riding a four game winning streak, including a 100-78 victory over New York on Tuesday. The Aces host the Liberty tonight, which will be their third matchup in the last 14 days.

The Aces trail the Seattle Storm by two games, but have a three game lead on the Los Angeles Sparks, who sit in third place. While Coach Laimbeer wants to win every game, his focus is always on being ready come playoffs.

The interview can be found at On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 06/21/2021. Also, check back here for my recurring coverage of the WNBA.

On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 05/09/2021

The Las Vegas Aces held a coaches press session yesterday. Head Coach Bill Laimbeer and recently-hired assistant coach Sugar Rodgers faced the media.

Coach Laimbeer discussed the team's performance so far. While he did not like the “sloppy” effort in their latest preseason game, which included 27 turnovers, he also quickly stated he doesn't care about wins and losses in the preseason.

The talk turned to his recent hiring of Rodgers as an assistant. Coach Laimbeer obviously has a lot of respect for Rodgers. They have a long history together, going back to their years with the New York Liberty. Laimbeer described Rodgers as more of a players' coach than he is, jokingly saying he will tell her to fix the problems he made.

Coach Laimbeer also gave a glimpse into his younger days. Fittingly on Mother's Day, he talked about the role his mom played in his athletic career.

Rodgers also spent much of her time discussing her path to coaching and her coaching style. Again, it is obvious she has a lot of respect for Coach Laimbeer.

Talk then turned to “They Better Call Me Sugar,” her autobiography. Rodgers felt it was the right time to do it. She tells her story of overcoming the odds.

This is a great hire by Coach Laimbeer. This is one of those little moves, of the court, that will pay big dividends. Rodgers will bring a youthful outlook, having just retired from active play.

Ta'Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers was a star at Georgetown, before being selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the second round (14th overall) of the 2013 WNBA Draft. After one season with the Lynx, she was traded to the Liberty, with whom she played through the 2018 season.

After the 2018 season, Rodgers was traded to the Aces in a four team swap. She played two seasons with the Aces before retiring after last season.

The Aces open their season on the road in Seattle, facing last season's champion Storm. Many experts predict that will be a preview of a repeat of last season, when the two teams met in the Finals, won by the Storm.

The interview session can be found at On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 05/09/2021. Also, check my recurring coverage of the WNBA here, on GlobalTravelerUSA.com, Patch.com and GlobalWomensSportsRadio.com.

On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 05/03/2021

The Las Vegas Aces held several press sessions from their training camp on Monday. Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, A'ja Wilson, Liz Cambage and Kelsey Plum took turns fielding questions.

The main theme throughout all the sessions was the seemingly new level of competition in the WNBA. With several free agents changing teams, a few significant trades and a new class of draftees, more teams than ever are poised to make a run at the WNBA title.

Coach Laimbeer mentioned he felt at least six teams were true title contenders. (I presume it would be six among Seattle, Las Vegas, Chicago, Connecticut, Los Angeles, Minnesota and Phoenix.) He continued the league has ebbs and flows. It's the nature of the league and the nature of sports.

The players agreed with Laimbeer that there is a high level of competition, but it really is just business as usual. They can only do their best with the schedule as is. Everything else will take care of itself.

I asked Wilson about her statue, which was erected earlier this year at South Carolina, where she starred on the courts. Wilson discussed the significance to her personally, as well as to women and women athletes. It's something that gives her great pride, but she is humble when discussing it, stating she isn't the first nor will she be the last woman to get a statue, but it still means alot.

Cambage and Plum talked about returning to the team. Plum suffered an injured Achilles tendon and missed the 2020 season.  Cambage sat out the 2020 season due to health concerns. Both players are excited to return and are in playing shape already.

An added highlight for me was Cambage's interactions with Las Vegas Director of Media Relations John "Giggy" Maxwell as they tried adjusting the backdrop and the lighting. Cambage also had fun interactions with the press about her musical choices. Aside from being a star on the court, she is a very popular disc jockey and certainly knows her music.

The athletes also rated the Las Vegas black jerseys as their favorites among the new jerseys. They liked the better fit and styles. They also stated their opinions tend to change as they change uniforms, but overall black takes a slight advantage.

The interview session is at On the Beat With the LasVegas Aces 05/03.2021

. Also check WNBA.com for more info on the league and the Aces. Look for my recurring coverage here, Patch.com, GlobalTravelerUSA.com and GlobalWomensSportRadio.com.

Bad Boy Laimbeer Isn't So Bad

The health pandemic destroyed lots of events over the last year, but it also caused new opportunities in a strange way. I was able to cover the WNBA all season through Zoom sessions. One of the real cool parts was interacting with Las Vegas Aces Head Coach Bill Laimbeer.

Laimbeer is probably better known as one of the Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys" of the 80s-90s. The Pistons and the Chicago Bulls had a heated rivalry for years and Laimbeer was right in the middle of it always. Chants of "Laimbeer Sucks" and worse rang out in the Chicago Stadium whenever the Pistons were in town.

Fast forward to last year, I was a bit apprehensive going into my first media session with Laimbeer. It's no secret he can be gruff. I didn't know what to expect.

In that first session, I found Laimbeer to be straight forward and totally likable. We even had a few laughs. Every session after that was similar. I'm not going to claim I was Laimbeer's favorite, because after the fact. he probably didn't give me another thought. Still, during the sessions, I always got a chuckle or two out of him. I occasionally detoured into questions about his appearances on tv's Land of the Lost, the old rivalries and other non-WNBA topics. I think he appreciated the variety.

In the offseason, Liz Cambage returned to the Aces (as reported here last week). Already one of the best teams in the league, the Aces are poised to make a real run a the title this season.

The official schedule has not yet been released. I don't know if Zoom sessions will return, but I am hoping I have not seen the last of Laimbeer.

Go to WNBA.com for more info on Laimbeer, the Aces and the rest of the WNBA. Also, check here, Patch.com, GlobalTravelerUSA.com and GlobalWomensSportsRadio.com for my recurring coverage.

Bill Liambeer and me in FL/IL-Summer 2020.

On the Beat With Bill Laimbeer, Chelsea Gray and Dan Padover of the Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces announced the signing of three-time WNBA All-Star and free agent guard Chelsea Gray. In a press session Tuesday, GM Dan Padover, Coach Bill Laimbeer and Gray talked about the path to the contract.

Coach Laimbeer spoke of Gray and the signing, “Chelsea is an elite level playmaker in the WNBA, and players like her don’t come available very often. She’s also a quality person and teammate with valuable postseason and championship experience. Adding someone to our roster with her ability to consistently make the big play brings us that much closer to a championship.”

Gray was drafted in the 1st round with the 11th pick by the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 WNBA draft. She missed the 2014 season due to injury, but played one season for the Sun, before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. She played five seasons with the Sparks through the 2020 season.

During her career, Gray played 191 games (starting 125), averaging 11.7 points, 3.o rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game. She has shot 45.6% from the field, 38,5% from three point land and 85.1% from the free throw line.

For her opening statement, Gray said, “I’m excited to start a new chapter in my career with the Las Vegas Aces,” said Gray. “They already have a talented roster, made up of great competitors, and I can’t wait to get out on the floor with them. We play this game to win, and our goal from day one is to bring a WNBA championship to the city of Las Vegas.”

In the press session, Coach Laimbeer talked about finding the perfect balance between the best player and the best fit when looking at free agents. He feels Gray is tops in both categories. He talked about the process of pursuing Gray, her fitting into the team mindset and the chase for the title. Gray discussed possible pressure in being the free agent brought onto a successful team close to a championship, along with her love of Las Vegas and her new teammates.

Last season, the Aces finished 18-4, tied for first place with the Seattle Storm. The two teams eventually met in the championship series, with the Storm prevailing. Padover, Laimbeer and Gray are hoping that Gray's addition is the key piece to put the Aces on top.

Check my other coverage on GlobalTravelerUSA.com, Patch.com and GlobalWomensSportsRadio.com. Also, check WNBA.com for more info on all of the teams and players.

On the Beat With the Las Vegas Aces 10/06/20

Yesterday, I featured the 2020 WNBA champion Seattle Storm. Despite being defeated by the Storm in the Finals, the Las Vegas Aces should be proud of the successful season they had.

The Aces finished 18-4 to take 1st place in the Western Conference and a #1 seed in the playoffs. The Finals featured the top two teams and the Storm came out on top. After the final loss, Aces' coach Bill Laimbeer and players A'ja Wilson, Angel McCouughtry and Kayla McBride appeared in the press session. Like the Storm, all talked about the game, the series, the season and the importance of what was accomplished. All echoed the sentiments of the Storm in stating they would continue to use their platform to raise awareness and affect social change.

For me, this was an incredible season. With no outside media on site, media sessions were open to the press via Zoom. I had the opportunity to talk to star players like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Courtney Vandersloot and Candace Parker. Although ordinarily I would have been part of the press at Chicago Sky home games, I never would have been able to talk at length to so many players and coaches around the league.

One special experience was developing a bit of a friendship with Las Vegas Aces coach Bill Laimbeer. The former NBA star had a noted rivalry with my Chicago Bulls during his playing days. While in high school, Laimbeer also had a part as a "Sleestak" on television's Land of the Lost. In our first session, when I asked about that role, he really opened up and we had a lot of fun all season.

Congratulations to the Storm for winning their second WNBA title in three years and to the Aces for a fantastic season. More importantly, congratulations to the entire league on successfully managing to have a season, crown a champ and promote social change. Go to WNBA.com for more info on the league. Also, check here for my recurring coverage of the league.

 

On the Beat With Coach Bill Laimbeer and the Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces beat the Dallas Wings 79-70 on Sunday to improve their record to 2-2. Tonight, the Aces play the Washington Mystics, who are 2-2.

The Aces are coached by former NBA star Bill Laimbeer. A star at Notre Dame, he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 3rd round of the 1979 NBA draft. Laimbeer opted to play in Italy, but returned to play with the Cavs for the 1980-'81 season. After two seasons with the Cavs, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons, with whom he would play 11 seasons, winning two NBA titles and making four All Star teams along the way.

In 2003 he was named coach of the Detroit Shock.He coached eight seasons with the Shock, followed by a return to the NBA as an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 2013, he returned to the WNBA as coach of the New York Liberty. After five seasons, he became head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.

For his WNBA coaching career, his teams have a record of 264-203. His Detroit Shock won three WNBA titles during his reign.

Laimbeer is as blunt as ever, but he also shows his humor at times. I have enjoyed my exchanges with him, despite having reservations going into this experience. With a reputation preceding him, I thought he would be much more gruff, and maybe he is with his team, but I can only judge him by how he has treated me as part of the press.

I asked Laimbeer about the the balance of pushing his team hard in practice with giving them time to recover, his bluntness with the team and his thoughts on the food in the bubble. He gave thoughtful, insightful answers and had a chuckle or two along the way.

Next up was Carolyn Swords, who came out of a brief retirement to return to the Aces this season. After starring at Boston College, Swords was selected by the Chicago Sky in the 2nd round of the 2011 WNBA draft. She played three seasons with the Sky, missed the 2014 season, but returned to play two seasons with the Liberty, followed by one season with the Seattle Storm. In 2018, she joined the Aces. She planned to retire to the front office after last season, but changed her mind and is playing again.

For her career, she has played 232 games over her nine seasons, averaging 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Although a small sample size, she is posting career high numbers so far this season.

I stumped Swordas a bit by asking her about the food situation. Then Burdick jumped in and asked her about playing for Coach Laimbeer. It was a fun exchange.

Burdick played at the University of Tennessee before being selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2nd round of the 2015 WNBA draft, but was cut prior to the season. She signed with the Atlanta Dream and played two seasons with the team. She split 2017 between the Liberty and the Aces, also playing 2018 with the Aces. She was just signed by the Aces, reuniting her with Laimbeer, with whom she has a love-hate relationship. For her WNBA career, she has played 29 games, averaging 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Burdick's grandfather played tackle three seasons in the NFL with with the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Reds 1931-33. He was killed in a train crash in 1945.

I asked Burdick about her decision to return to play in the bubble. She gave a very reflective answer.

Go to WNBA.com for more info on the league. Also check back here, as well as GlobalTravelerUSA.com and GlobalWomensSportsRadio.com for recurring coverage.