It came quicker than Hammon likely anticipated. Nakase’s expansion Valkyries didn’t merely defeat the Aces, the recent league standard in success. They ran them out of the blooming-violet sold-out Chase Center in one of the most eye-raising results of the young season that raises early questions about each team.

The Las Vegas Aces will head to the Chase Center to take on the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.