Forget Superteams. The Aces Are Building a Dynasty.

The Aces jumped into a pile at half court, their cheers cutting through the stunned silence of a shocked Barclays Center. Las Vegas had sent the Liberty packing, defeating the home team 70–69 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles. There was no confetti or celebratory music, but the Aces created a party of their own, dancing as they were presented with the league trophy, cutting through a smattering of boos—a parting gift from New York.

In commissioner Cathy Engelbert presenting Las Vegas with its hardware for the second year in a row, the WNBA had crowned its latest dynasty. Their back-to-back titles have catapulted the Aces to rarified air, joining the Comets and Sparks as the only teams to win consecutive WNBA championships. Houston hoisted the trophy in the W’s inaugural four years, starting in 1997, before Los Angeles ended its reign, topping the league in 2001 and ’02. Now 21 years later, Las Vegas has written itself into WNBA lore, emerging from the 2023 Finals not just as the definitive superteam, but as a group worthy of historical designation.

“This team has had a thousand opportunities to fall apart…You name it we’ve gone through it this year,” said Hammon. “You can’t crack this group.”

Frank Franklin II/AP