Courtside MVPs: A Look At The Las Vegas Aces Entertainment Team

From warmups to the final buzzer, the Las Vegas Aces entertainment crew transforms Michelob ULTRA Arena into a whole vibe. 

Hosts CJ & Joe, mascot BUCKET$, and the dancers of the Wild Card Crew and High Rollers, as well as the voice of the Aces, Chet Buchanan, and DJ Joe Green, ensure the game is a high-voltage experience from the time the fans find their seats to the time they leave the arena. During timeouts and halftime, the entertainment crew works hard to keep the energy going and to create the most memorable time for fans of all ages. 

CJ, Joe, and BUCKET$ recently sat down with The Blast to share some insight into their contribution to the Aces entertainment crew and why they love what they do. 

Even before the Aces players hit the court for warmups, the energy in Michelob ULTRA Arena inside Mandalay Bay is supercharged and ready to go! 

The entertainment team - which consists of two hosts, a mascot, multiple dance teams, a DJ, and announcer - keep the crowd hyped up for the hoops action on the court. During time outs and halftime, the entertainment team keeps the fun going strong. 

From reminding fans to “make some noise” and encourage “everybody on your feet,” the hosts know how to keep the party going. And the team’s wildly popular mascot, BUCKET$, makes sure everyone’s having a high-energy, memorable time. 

CJ, one half of the dynamic host duo of CJ & Joe, has loved basketball since a young age. She joined the Aces as their host in 2018, but had many other hosting gigs that led her to Vegas, including the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Sparks. She also has an impressive radio broadcasting background.

Just hours after auditioning for the Aces hosting gig, she was offered the job, and has been with the team ever since. 

“I’ve been with the Aces since they became the Las Vegas Aces. So it’s just been an honor and a pleasure to be there and watch them grow from MGM owning the team to Mark Davis now, who is quite frankly the best owner I’ve ever worked for on any team,” CJ told The Blast exclusively. “It’s been quite amazing.” 

Joe didn’t join CJ as a host until after the “wubble.”  (The WNBA’s version of the NBA’s pandemic bubble.) 

“There was another gentleman who had auditioned at the same time as I did. He was on the radio in Las Vegas and was my first co-host. And then he left after two seasons because he moved to Nashville for radio. Then the 'wubble’ happened,” CJ explained. “The season after the 'wubble,' I was the only host for the Aces. We couldn’t even touch the court. We had to stay on a stage and had to wear masks.”

The following season, the idea to add another host entered the chat. When CJ met Joe, there was an immediate and undeniable chemistry. 

When asked what her favorite part of hosting a WNBA game is, CJ said it’s all about the fans. 

“I think my absolute favorite thing about hosting a WNBA game is creating the memory for the fan, whether it be a young kid or a fan that’s been a fan of the W since inception, or a fan of the Aces since inception,” she told The Blast. “Just being able to create a lifelong memory. A lot of these kids will have this memory for the rest of their lives. I feel like it’s my job to help create that memory.”

CJ also explained she loves being part of fans’ lives, such as when an engagement happens or she gets to know season ticket holders. 

One last question for CJ was a fun one! The Blast asked if she had to replace her and Joe as hosts of a game with two current Aces players, who would they be and why?

“A’ja Wilson for sure. She just has this magnetic energy. She could talk to anybody. Her personality is unlike any player. She is the one you want to be the MVP of the league. She’s the one you want to be the face of the league. She’s the best female basketball player in the entire world right now and she has that thing that you just can’t put your finger on,” CJ said. “And I would say Chelsea Gray. She does have a great personality, but I think because she is a point guard. I was a point guard growing up playing and I think that’s where I get my very A-type personality. I feel like Chelsea would handle hosting. She’s not afraid to be on the mic or to give an interview.”

The other half of the dynamic Aces hosting duo, Joe, is in his fourth season with the Vegas team. Before joining the Aces, he got his start in radio and was the Milwaukee Bucks host for six seasons. 

“I was on the radio for a few years and then kind of started just doing game hosting,” Joe told The Blast exclusively. “In 2021, the opportunity came to work with the Las Vegas Aces. They were looking for an in-game hype man and I auditioned and the rest is history.” 

When asked what the best part of his job is, Joe explained it’s all about “life coming together for a common goal.” 

“I come from the most segregated city in America, so to see people with all different backgrounds, none of that matters when you step into the arena," he said. "Everybody’s slapping five, everybody’s cheering, it’s like one big family and that’s my favorite part of my job.” 

Joe said the entertainment crew is like “a game within the game.”

“When the players go off the court, that’s when it’s game time for us - timeouts, quarter breaks, halftime,” he told The Blast. “We’re constantly on the move. Sometimes my hat is sweated out even before tip-off.” 

As for the chemistry with his co-host, CJ, Joe said it’s been there since day one.

“It didn’t need to develop over time. It just happened instantly,” he shared. “She’s such an amazing person, a cool person to work with and she’s been in the game for a while. For her to embrace me after being here for years before I’ve been meant a lot honestly, because having a great co-host to work with is very important in this job. I love to play along with her and it’s just so seamless.” 

CJ and Joe constantly remind the fans, “We don’t just cheer when we’re winning. We have to cheer to win.” Joe explained that the players engines are nonstop, so it’s the hosts job to give them a little extra fuel.

“We’re going to be as loud as we can when the opposing team is shooting free throws,” he said. 

Joe was also asked which two Aces players he would choose to sub in for a game.

“I gotta throw A’ja in there just because her personality is wild. I love the way we play off of each other, but she plays off of everyone. So I’m gonna have to say A’ja,” he said. “I gotta say Chelsea Gray. I love Chelsea Gray, and the way they play off of each other.” 

But then he then said he might have a different answer.

“I’m gonna rewind that and say A’ja and KB - Kierstan Bell. Because she also has that personality.” 

Anyone who's ever attended an Aces home game knows all about BUCKET$, the team's high-energy mascot.

The person who puts on the bunny costume, who will remain nameless to keep the magic of BUCKET$ alive and well, always had a dream of being involved in pro sports. He knew at an early age that his path was set in sports entertainment.

"At a young age, I actually ended up finding out about the game entertainment side and realized that there was another world that most fans don't know really exists. Kind of the 'Wizard of Oz' behind the curtain, if you will, all the parties and all the different players that come together to make a game actually run," BUCKET$ told The Blast exclusively. "I had an interest in that by the time I even got to high school, and so I started to seek out opportunities for internships and looking at different jobs and roles as I got into college."

That path eventually led him right to the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and starting the incredible journey as the team's furry hype man - BUCKET$!

As the team's beloved mascot, BUCKET$ has so many incredible stories to share about fan interactions and just being part of the Vegas team.

"There's definitely tons of moments that stick out, but I can't say that there's a favorite. You know, among some of the ones that do stick out are the two championships in 2022 and 2023, the championship parades and shutting down the Strip, bringing the first professional championship to the city of Las Vegas," he shared. "There's so many more like having legends Candace Parker playing for us and having A'ja Wilson, the greatest player on the planet, being able to root and cheer her on. "

He also said that every year, they do an Aces Entertainment halftime show and that's become a fan favorite. As for fan interactions, there are too many great moments to pick just one.

"It's so hard trying to pick just one moment but if I had to kind of encompass what that feeling is like, just a few games ago, I went to visit a young fan. High-five, and took a photo with her and gave her an autograph and on my way walking away, someone stopped me and told me that little girl that you just signed the autograph for, you should have seen her face when you turned around and walked away," he shared.

"You could tell it just made her night. So being able to interact with fans and help put a smile on someone's face, maybe helping them forget about something that they might be going through at that moment, or just to shine some light is definitely a special feeling."

And the entertainment crew doesn't stop there! There are also two dance teams - Wild Card Crew and High Rollers, announcer Chet Buchanan, and DJ Joe Green.

Buchanan, an Emmy-Award winning PA Announcer for the Aces, is known for his "crowd-leading call-and-responses like 'TWO SHOTS!'" according to the Aces website. He's also the PA Announcer of the Seattle Kraken, "The Voice of NASCAR" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and more.

The beats in the arena are thanks to DJ Joe Green. He joined the Aces as their DJ in 2019. He also serves as Music Director and DJ for the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights and AHL's Henderson Silver Knights.

The Wild Card Crew is the official dance team and hype team of the Aces. You can see them launching t-shirts into the crowd and performing during home games. The High Rollers is the official senior dance team of the Aces. According to the website, "The High Rollers are the fabulous over 50 dance crew, comprised of 20 local seniors, both men and women, who bring high-energy entertainment to Aces home games!"