CHELSEA GRAY

A’ja Wilson scored 20 points to help the U.S. beat China 77-63 in the women’s World Cup.

The Las Vegas Aces are poised to win multiple championships over the next few years with core players like A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray signed to deals that will keep them in Nevada.

Chelsea Gray scored 20 points to lead the Las Vegas Aces to their first WNBA title in a 78-71 road win over the Connecticut Sun in Game 4.

A’ja Wilson had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Las Vegas Aces to an 85-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.

A’ja Wilson had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun 67-64 on Sunday in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals The Aces staved off a late run by the Sun, who erased a seven-point deficit with 1:24 left when Alyssa Thomas hit back-to-back shots to pull Connecticut within three.

Sue Bird’s career came to an end as Chelsea Gray scored 15 of her 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Las Vegas Aces advanced to the WNBA Finals with a 97-92 win over the Seattle Storm in Game 4 of their semifinal series.

Jackie Young sent the game in overtime with a buzzer-beating basket and then Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum hit big shots in the extra session to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm 110-98 to move within a victory of advancing to the WNBA Finals.

Jewell Loyd scored 26 points, including Seattle’s final six, and the Storm edged the Las Vegas Aces 76-73 to take a 1-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart is the first two-time winner of The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year award.

Kelsey Plum scored 12 of her 24 points in the first quarter as the Las Vegas Aces raced to an early 23-point lead, then held on for a 93-83 victory over the Chicago Sky to win the second WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship.

The Las Vegas Aces have come out of the All-Star break on a roll, winning three road games and scoring more than 100 points in two of victories.

The WNBA season is only a few weeks old and there already have been five games that have decided in overtime.

The WNBA is back and celebrating its silver anniversary.

The WNBA will tip off its 25th season on Friday after an offseason that was full of player movement, including Candace Parker returning home to Chicago.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday, Jan. 27, because no official announcement is allowed until Feb. 1. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)Candace Parker is headed home and Kayla McBride is getting a fresh start in Minnesota. that she would be signing with the Lynx once free agents can officially ink deals Monday. Nearly 75% of the players on the Sparks' roster are free agents. That’s led to increased player movement from our roster.”Two players who are free agents but won't be moving are Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.

NEW YORK The Seattle Storm are healthy to begin the season with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird back in the lineup and sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll. 1 in the preseason since the AP has been doing the poll. You have to go out there and play the games, said Bird, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery. Connecticut and Washington, who met for the WNBA title last year, were sixth and seventh in the poll. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, July 28___Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

Kara Lawson has always wanted to coach at Duke a fact the first-time college coach hadn't shared with many people. Thats how highly I thought of the institution and the job," Lawson said on an introductory Zoom call Monday. Mom was the one who wanted me to go to Duke, Lawson said. I wanted to become a coach and learn from the best and that led me to Knoxville, Lawson said. Lawson knows one of her first tasks will be to hire assistants.