Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon rested three starters in a nationally televised game against the New York Liberty, citing player health and scheduling concerns, as the WNBA faces scrutiny over its expanding schedule.
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon made a controversial decision during a nationally televised game against the New York Liberty on August 9, 2026, benching four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young for the second game of a back-to-back road trip. The Aces lost 111-71 in Brooklyn, a result Hammon attributed to prioritizing player health over short-term outcomes, despite the matchup’s high-profile status.
Hammon’s Defense: Health Over Short-Term Gains
Hammon defended her decision to rest Wilson, Gray, and Young, emphasizing that player safety took precedence over the game’s national TV audience. The health and safety of players comes first,
she said, per Yahoo Sports. Wherever we end up, we end up, and we’ll play whatever hand is dealt to us.
The Aces had just completed a grueling five-game road trip, including a 98-87 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on August 8, with the team arriving in New York at 10 p.m. after a 1,200-mile drive from Minneapolis.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement mandates reasonable and good faith efforts
to provide at least 20 hours between back-to-back games, but the league’s internal guidelines require a minimum of 22 hours, limiting travel to one time zone. The Aces’ Saturday game in Minneapolis ended at 1 p.m. ET, with their Sunday game in Brooklyn scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET. I’m not going to put (players) in any kind of jeopardy to get hurt when we’ve been expending a lot of energy and traveling a lot of miles back and forth, crisscrossing the country,
Hammon said.
League-Wide Scheduling Pressures
The Aces’ loss highlighted broader tensions within the WNBA as the league expands its schedule. This season, the Aces played 44 games, up from 40 in 2023, with plans to reach 50 games by 2027. The increased workload has intensified debates over player welfare.
The Aces’ strategy also reflected preparations for the FIBA World Cup, with Wilson, Gray, and Young set to compete in September. You got to be healthy and fresh as much as possible, obviously, after going through a season,
Hammon said. The team’s bench, led by Ta’Niya Latson’s 20 points, carried the load in the loss, with Hammon calling it a great opportunity for the bench to get some minutes and get some burn.
Criticism and Broader Implications
While Hammon’s decision was framed as a proactive measure, it drew mixed reactions. It is what it is.
I know these are big matchups, and these are what people want to see, but you should ensure that it’s fair,
Hammon said, acknowledging the tension between short-term viewership and long-term player health.
The WNBA’s scheduling practices have come under scrutiny in recent years. With the time change, it ends up being that,
Hammon said, referencing the 1,200-mile trip from Minneapolis to New York. I don’t even think they do this in the NBA, though, where it’s less than 24 hours.
As the WNBA continues to expand, the balance between competitiveness and player welfare will remain a critical issue. With the 2027 season set to feature 50 games, teams like the Aces will face increasing pressure to manage workloads strategically. For now, Hammon’s decision underscores a growing trend in professional sports: prioritizing long-term health over immediate results.
The Aces’ next game, a home matchup against the Washington Mystics on August 11, will test whether their strategy pays off. For now, the controversy surrounding Hammon’s move highlights the challenges of sustaining growth in a league still striving to establish itself as a premier sports destination.
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