The Aces posted the 13 names Saturday. Now camp starts and the real sorting begins.
Training camp opens Sunday, April 19, with four-time MVP A’ja Wilson at the center of it all and eight players back from the 2025 title run. Las Vegas also confirmed it re-signed Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd, keeping the core that closes games and sets the standard in the building.
The core is the message
The Aces are not treating 2025 like a one-off. They brought back Wilson, Gray, Young and Loyd, then kept Kierstan Bell, Dana Evans, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and NaLyssa Smith in the mix as well.
That is the point of this roster. The identity stays intact, and the competition now lives in the margins, where minutes get won in practice and in preseason possessions.
The new faces, the real questions
Las Vegas added three veterans this week: wing Stephanie Talbot, defensive forward Brianna Turner and guard Chennedy Carter. On a team where minutes are scarce, each add has to solve a problem.
Talbot gives the Aces another sizable wing who can defend. Turner adds a proven defensive specialist to the frontcourt. Carter is the upside swing, a guard who can change pace and pressure the rim, but will have to earn her spot.
The Aces also added two rookies through the draft: Janiah Barker at No. 29 and Jordan Obi at No. 44. Both now enter the most honest part of the calendar, when everything resets and reputation takes a backseat to execution.
Japan comes to Michelob
The first public look at this roster comes quickly. The Aces host the Japan National Team on Sunday, April 26 at Michelob ULTRA Arena, the first of two preseason games.
After that, Las Vegas heads to Austin to play the Dallas Wings on Sunday, May 3. Preseason usually reveals who can defend, who can run the system and who can survive a second unit shift when the starters sit.
A documentary premiere, then the title defense
Before opening night, the Aces will host a screening of their documentary, “Never Fold: The 2025 Las Vegas Aces,” on May 5 at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The team will follow the screening with a panel featuring head coach Becky Hammon, president and GM Nikki Fargas and vice president of creative storytelling Katie Morgan.
Then it turns real. Las Vegas opens its title defense Saturday, May 9 at T-Mobile Arena against Phoenix, its 2025 WNBA Finals opponent, with a pregame ring ceremony set for the home opener.
Camp starts Sunday. The roster is set. Now the only thing left is to see who makes it impossible for Hammon to look away.
Related stories
Aces offseason additions: Las Vegas didn’t just run it back, it sharpened the edges
A’ja Wilson’s Vogue moment hits as the WNBA turns the page to 2026
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
