"Go hit somebody" - Aces HC Becky Hammon demands more competitive spirit from players as she pulls starters in Mystics loss

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon pulled her starters in the 94-83 loss against the Washington Mystics at home on Thursday. The Aces lost despite a solid outing from A’ja Wilson, who recorded 22 points, five rebounds, four blocks and two assists.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Hammon wished to see more competitive spirit from her players:

“I'm talking about basic stuff: number one, Compete. Compete hard. ... When you're on offense, go hit somebody. When you're on defense, go hit somebody. Go block out. And pick and roll.” (from 07:05)

The Mystics relied on Sug Sutton (17 points and five assists) and rookie Sonia Citron (21 points and two rebounds) against Las Vegas on Thursday. Shakira Austin was also key with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

The Aces are having a tough run, losing four of their last six games. They are eighth (7-8) in the league, one win away from a .500 record. A’ja Wilson and Co. look worse than last season, when they finished second in the Western Conference with a 27-13 record.

Along with the rest of the team, Wilson was also better in 2024, averaging 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Her stellar performances saw her win her third WNBA MVP award. In 2025, her numbers have declined, though, recording 21.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Did the Aces make a mistake by trading Kelsey Plum?

Las Vegas' biggest move this offseason was their trade for Jewell Loyd, which saw Kelsey Plum land with the LA Sparks. Unfortunately, what seemed to be a bold move for the Aces hasn't translated to on-court success.

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Loyd daveraged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Seattle Storm in 2024. But her numbers have dipped since arriving in Las Vegas, recording 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season. Meanwhile, Kelsey Plum has improved, averaging 20.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Sparks.

It has to be asked whether the Aces made a mistake by trading Plum this offseason. Noting the drop in Wilson's numbers, Las Vegas would've done well to have another 20-point scorer on the team.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Bhargav