LAS VEGAS — Before the Aces took on the Connecticut Sun for the final time before the Sun move to Houston in 2027, the lights in Michelob Ultra Arena dimmed as a pregame video played on the Jumbotron. The video featured two kids sitting at a vintage TV. On the TV, highlights played of the early days of the Las Vegas Aces, formerly known as the San Antonio Silver Stars.
The video featured forward Margo Dydek talking about the excitement of playing in San Antonio, highlights of different games (including shots of current Aces head coach Becky Hammon), and the 2008 Western Conference Finals, where the franchise made it to the championship series for the first time.
The San Antonio Silver Stars were the predecessor to the Las Vegas Aces, lasting from 2003-2017, rebranding to the San Antonio Stars in 2014. Like most rosters, the San Antonio Silver Stars saw future hall-of-fame players, including Dydek and Hammon.
Hammon started off her WNBA career with the New York Liberty, playing with them from 1999-2006. She averaged 10.8 points per game with the Liberty across eight seasons. After the 2006 season, Hammon was traded to San Antonio for a 2007 first round pick (which was second overall) and a 2008 first round pick (14th overall pick). The Liberty got Jessica Davenport with that second overall pick, and Erlana Larkins with the 14th overall.
In her time with the Silver Stars, Hammon became a franchise player and secured her ticket to the Hall of Fame. Within her eight seasons with the Silver Stars, Hammon averaged approximately 14 points per game. She earned MVP votes in four of the eight seasons and three All-Star nods, placing on the All-WNBA first team twice and the second team once.
“I‘ve got a lot of favorite memories,” Hammon told reporters before the Aces’ matchup against the Sun on Thursday. “San Antonio was good to me. I loved playing there. I loved being a part of their community, so I always got love for San Antonio.”
After retiring in 2014, Hammon went on to be an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs under the leadership of longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. She became the first woman to coach in the NBA, and eventually took over the role of head coach for the Las Vegas Aces when Bill Laimbeer retired. Since then, she’s played a pivotal role in the Aces’ championship runs.
“When Mark [Davis] took over [as owner of the franchise], the investment upfront was there, and I think now you’re getting to see dividends on the back end,” Hammon told reporters before Thursday’s matchup against the Sun. “He was kind of the first one of these owners to kind of step up, give us a practice facility and really elevate the level. And in this case, it happened to be the rising tide that raises all ships, and now everybody has to have one, which I think is great.”
With the Aces, Hammon’s won three championships in four years. They won their first title in 2022, went back-to-back in 2023, and had a massive comeback from a 14-14 record to win the 2025 title.
Rep The IX Sports at your next game!
Shop the logo collection or special “Women’s Sports are Front Page News” collection now on Shopify.
Attending the match on Thursday was Sequoia Holmes, a former player for the Stars in 2017. Holmes played two seasons with the organization, one as a Stars player, and the other as an Aces player. She retired after the 2018 season, and currently coaches at Mojave High School in Las Vegas.
“My time in San Antonio, it was a tale of two stories,” Holmes told The IX Sports. “Our season didn’t go very well, but I built a lot of good relationships with the players. Some of my best friends now, Sydney [Colson], Izzy [Harrison], Dearica [Hamby], that I was able to play with, [Alex] Montgomery, like we were pretty close, so it was great.”
Holmes received the 2026 Aces Jr. NBA/WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year with her work at Mojave High School, her alma mater. She’s the current head coach for the varsity Rattlers, who went on a 22-6 run last season.
“Coaching my high school and being a home team — you know I’m born and bred Vegas through and through,” Holmes told The IX Sports. “I mean, I even have a tattoo of it on me, you know, the zip codes that I grew up in. It’s the city that made me. I’m super, super proud to represent in any way that I can.”
When the Stars announced their relocation, Holmes felt a plethora of emotions, from nervousness to excitement. She had the opportunity to represent hometown once more, going from playing basketball at Mojave High School, to UNLV and then to the Aces.
“I was overwhelmed with joy, and it was kind of scary,” Holmes told The IX Sports. “It also was a lot of different emotions, but I was very, very happy. I mean, as a kid growing up, we never had a professional team, let alone a women’s team. So coming here, the team being relocated here, and having the opportunity to be a part of the organization is just a dream come true.”
Former Silver Star and Hall of Famer Jennifer Azzi was also in attendance for Thursday’s matchup. There are only a few players left in the WNBA who played in San Antonio. Two of those players are Kelsey Plum, who currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury, and Kayla McBride, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx.
Current Aces center Cheyenne Parker-Tyus had the opportunity to play against the Stars. She started her career in 2014 with the Chicago Sky.
“I have a lot of memories going out there back in the day,” Parker-Tyus told reporters after the match. “[Kayla McBride] was out there back when I was playing against San Antonio, and [Sydney Colson] was there. I have a lot of memories in San Antonio, Texas.”
Scores are only part of the story.
Unlock full access.
The legacy night was nothing short of nostalgic for the fans. Fans donned Hammon Stars jerseys, with the in-arena hosts wearing Stars-themed gear. Even the Aces mascot, Bucket$, wore a Hammon-themed Stars kit. For the giveaway, fans took home a Bucket$-themed bobble head. The arena was filled to the brim with fans, making it crowded for a Thursday night.
The team shared a video, voiced by analyst Carolyn Peck, honoring the visiting Connecticut Sun. Peck was a coach and general manager for the Orlando Miracle, the franchise that relocated and became the Sun. She received a standing ovation for the touching tribute.
Before halftime, the Aces announced Holmes as their 2026 Coach of the Year. She was given flowers and stood next to Bucket$, and received tremendous applause.
As the final buzzer went off, The House was rocking following a dominant Aces victory. Fans screamed for t-shirts that fans were throwing, hoping they would be recognized by their favorite players. Those that caught the shirts went home with an extra souvenir, capping off a touching night of tributes.
