The Aces were the feel-good story of last season and the feel-bad story of the offseason, and if WNBA fans are struggling with what to call them now, let’s start with a simple answer: a professional sports franchise. Like the Patriots. Or the Astros. Or ... here is the most apt comparison, for obvious reasons: the Raiders.
Mark Davis, who took over in 2021, also owns the NFL’s Raiders. He inherited the team from his father, Al, a man who didn’t just revel in the outlaw image—he created and marketed it. Al could be loyal to players but not to the league or a city, and if anybody questioned his priorities when he crossed a line, he answered with a slogan: “Just win, baby.”
Keep that in mind as you think about former Aces forward Dearica Hamby, who said the organization bullied and intimidated her last year after finding out she was pregnant. Remember Al as you wonder whether, as reported, the Aces circumvented the salary cap to put together last year’s WNBA champions.
