Aces Defeat Dream In Their First Matchup Of The Season With Candace Parker In The House

Fresh off of an action-packed WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, the Las Vegas Aces and Atlanta Dream faced off in a thrilling matchup at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. This was the first time this season that these two teams met on the court.

The sold-out crowd brought their high-energy excitement to the arena. And to add to the excitement of the game, WNBA legend Candace Parker was in attendance, sitting courtside, showing her support for her former team.

It was an exciting matchup in Las Vegas on Tuesday night when the Atlanta Dream faced the Las Vegas Aces for the first time this season.

After the first quarter, the Dream were up 24-20, but the Aces took control and were in the lead at the half, 45-39. After the third quarter, the Aces were up 67-59, and ultimately took the win, 87-72.

Aces star A'ja Wilson led the charge with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Dana Evans came off the bench to provide a key spark in the game. Evans scored nine straight points in the second quarter, pushing the Aces in the lead. She finished the night with 14 points. Jackie Young also contributed 14 points, and NaLyssa Smith added 11 points.

Wilson recorded her third straight double-double - 24 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

The energy in Michelob ULTRA Arena was electric from the sold-out crowd. Fans of all ages were seen around the arena cheering on their favorite team and staying hype throughout the night.

One adorable little girl with a sign that reads, "I came over 2,000 miles to watch my Aces" was excited to meet Wilson and Parker after the game and have both of them autograph her sign.

Her and her family were ecstatic to have the opportunity to meet and briefly chat with the two WNBA superstars, in what is likely a moment in time the young fan will never forget.

WNBA legend Parker was courtside during the game, alongside her wife, Anna Petrakova. The two sat near the Aces bench and added to the high-energy excitement of the game.

After the game, Parker mingled with the players, taking photos, chatting, and laughing. She met with the young fan holding the Aces sign and happily autographed it for her.

Parker played with the Aces during the 2023 season and helped the team secure the WNBA championship. She announced her retirement in April 2024 after 16 seasons in the league. She also played for the LA Sparks and Chicago Sky during her time in the league. Beyond her successful career on the court, she's also a respected broadcaster, advocate for women in sports, and a role model for the next generation of athletes.

Some of the Aces' recent celebrations are taking place off the court!

On Monday night, the team shared a post announcing Megan Gustafson's engagement to David DiLeo, who currently plays for Le Mans in the French basketball league.

"Our girl is a fiancée! Congratulations, Megan and David on your engagement!" the Aces wrote in an IG post. Tons of congratulatory messages quickly filled the comment section of the post.

Gustafson's currently in her second season with the Aces. She also shared the news on her IG page with a few posts.

"Forever sounds good with you," she captioned one post. And then followed that post up with, "More moments from the most special day. David picked out a beautiful place. By the river in the city that means so much to us both. He even had my family and his come to surprise me.  The ring is stunning, but most importantly, I get to marry the man of my DREAMS!!"

And there's more off court excitement for the team!

Also on Monday night, the Aces announced offseason recruit, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, welcomed her second baby. She hasn't made her Las Vegas debut yet because of maternity leave.

The forward shared the announcement of her new bundle of joy, born on July 1, on July 15.

“Baby Yoshua. Congratulations, Cheyenne, Keevin, and big sis Naomi on welcoming Yoshua! Aces fans, drop some love for @1_born_queen and her family,” the Aces shared on IG.

It's expected that Parker-Tyus will miss the remainder of the regular season but could potentially return for the WNBA playoffs in September.

"What's better than one All-Star starter? TWOoOoO All-Star starters!" the Aces playfully posted on IG ahead of this past weekend's WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

The Aces had two stars at All-Star Weekend - A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young - and fans were happy to see it!

"These ladies had to much fun," one person wrote in the comments of a clip of the game on IG. Another said, "Absolutely loving this game! Just watching all the players having a great time and putting smiles on everyone's faces!"

The Aces are about to hit the road for a four-game road trip starting with Indiana Fever on Thursday. Then they're off to face the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, Dallas Wings on Sunday, and LA Sparks on Tuesday.

Then it's back home to host the Lynx on Saturday, August 2.

See their entire 2025 schedule on the website.