‘WNBA version of Chris Paul’: Fans thank their stars as Chelsea Gray promotes A’ja Wilson and Aces to the team after 247-day absence

The Las Vegas Aces overcame their loss to the New York Liberty to defeat the impressive Seattle Storm on Wednesday. But more than the victory, the two-time champions celebrated the return of their dynamic point guard Chelsea Gray. The 31-year-old made her season debut after recovering from a left foot injury sustained in last season’s WNBA Finals. As much as fans were happy to see her come off the bench in the first quarter, they were even more pleased to see the kind of magic she can create when she has the ball in her hands.

The five-time WNBA All-Star made her debut after a warm welcome from the Las Vegas crowd. It didn’t take long for her to get everyone’s money’s worth. In the penultimate quarter, when the hosts were winning by 12 points, Chelsea Gray showed the 10,380 spectators her cheek when she gave her teammate Tiffany Hayes a clever assist. Hayes was then able to convert the easy layup.

This phenomenal performance was on display throughout the evening. Head coach Becky Hammon entrusted Gray with 16 minutes on the court, where she recorded a total of 7 assists. In addition, the MVP of the 2022 WNBA Finals contributed 4 defensive rebounds and 2 blocks. Consequently, this performance garnered several applauding reactions from the fans.

Fans celebrate Chelsea Gray’s brilliance

Chelsea Gray ended up having the second most assists for the Aces that night, leading some fans to dub her the “Point God” Chris Paul. The 39-year-old was NBA assist leader five times (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022). The fan wrote: “Chelsea Gray is simply the WNBA version of Chris Paul FR.”

Chelsea Gray had the 340th assist of her career in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals last year. Since then, not only the Las Vegas Aces but also the fans have missed the passing skills of the 6′ guard. When one fan saw her on the court after 247 days, he expressed his relief with the words: “I missed Chelsea Gray’s bounce passes.”

Alysha Clark hit a beautiful 25-foot three-pointer off an assist from Chelsea Gray as she entered the court. The duo then scored three more times throughout the rest of the game. This of course mesmerized both the spectators in the crowd and those watching from the comfort of their own homes. One of them tagged it and wrote: “This duo Alysha Clark/Chelsea Gray.”

The Las Vegas Aces got off to a slow start. They allowed 104.2 points per 100 possessions, which puts them 10th in the league. One of the main reasons for this cited by the analysts was Chelsea Gray’s absence. Her return, therefore, not only improved and boosted the team’s performance but also gave some passionate supporters a respite. One of them expressed this in his commentary, which read: “It’s SO good to see Chelsea Gray back on the pitch and playing well.”

Chelsea Gray’s pass to Tiffany Hayes immediately attracted a lot of attention. The nature of the pass prompted some fans to express their excitement with funny GIFs. One fan communicated with such a GIF and the comment: “But that last pass from Chelsea Gray.”

There is no denying that Chelsea Gray’s return will have a positive impact on the Aces. She has proven in the past that her skills and ball ability are an asset to the franchise and fans will be excited to see her in the starting lineup as soon as possible.

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