Kalani Brown is officially back with the Las Vegas Aces organization.
The Aces announced Saturday that they signed the 6-foot-7 center, adding another experienced frontcourt option after NaLyssa Smith was ruled out for the season.
“The Las Vegas Aces are thrilled to welcome Kalani to the family,” Aces President and General Manager Nikki Fargas said. “She brings an extremely diverse defensive skillset, has a great paint presence and is a strong rebounder.”
Brown adds size
Brown was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft and has played 139 career games.
She has averaged 5.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13 minutes per game while shooting 57.5 percent from the field.
Brown spent her rookie season with Los Angeles, then played for Atlanta in 2020 and 2021. She later spent 2023 and 2024 with Dallas before joining Phoenix in 2025.
She also brings extensive international experience. Brown has played six years overseas in China, Israel and Turkey, including three EuroCup seasons.
Across those EuroCup seasons, she averaged 20.3 points and 9.7 rebounds.
Familiar face in Las Vegas
This is not Brown’s first connection to the Aces.
Las Vegas signed her to a training camp contract on Feb. 15, 2022. At the time, Aces coach Becky Hammon pointed directly to the dimension Brown could provide.
“At 6-7, she obviously commands a lot of attention in the post,” Hammon said then.
Brown was waived before the regular season and did not appear in a game for Las Vegas.
Her path since then has included productive stretches in Dallas and Phoenix. In 2023, Brown averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 62.9 percent from the field for the Wings.
Baylor connection
Brown also shares a college connection with Smith.
The two were teammates at Baylor during the 2018-19 season, when Brown was a senior and Smith was a freshman. That team won the 2019 NCAA championship.
Brown finished her Baylor career as a three-time All-American and the 2018 Big 12 Player of the Year. She also helped Baylor win four regular-season conference titles and three Big 12 tournament championships.
Frontcourt takes shape
Brown now joins an Aces frontcourt that includes A’ja Wilson, Brianna Turner and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus.
Turner started Friday’s 93-73 win over Toronto, while Parker-Tyus finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 12 minutes.
Hammon said after the game that Parker-Tyus will have a larger role moving forward. Brown adds another true center with size, rebounding and interior experience as Las Vegas reshapes its rotation.
Fargas believes those traits can translate quickly.
“Kalani has made such an impact on each team she’s played for and will have continued success in an Aces uniform,” she said.
Las Vegas enters the break third in the WNBA at 27-13, 4 1/2 games behind first-place Minnesota and 1 1/2 games behind Golden State. The Aces have four regular-season games left after the FIBA break: two against Seattle, one against Los Angeles and one at Phoenix.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, 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.
