HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Aces, whose two-time championship run ended in a semifinals loss to the New York Liberty, fired general manager Natalie Williams on Saturday.
Williams was hired in 2022 as part of a new regime that included Becky Hammon as coach. The Aces won titles in 2022 and 2023 to become the first WNBA team to claim back-to-back championships since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02.
However, the team president announced her contract will not be renewed as part of a “restructuring” of the front office.
Her tenure wasn’t without controversy. The Aces are being sued by former player Dearica Hamby and are under a league-directed investigation regarding potential salary-cap circumvention.
“We are incredibly grateful for Natalie’s invaluable efforts in helping build the Aces into the premier franchise in the WNBA,” Aces President Nikki Fargas said in a statement. “Her time with the organization extends back to the league’s formative years in Utah, and she will forever be a part of our history, having left an indelible mark as both a player and an executive. We wish the best for Natalie and her family.”
The 53-year-old Williams was a four-time All-Star during a seven-year WNBA career with the Utah Starzz and Indiana Fever. A two-sport athlete in basketball and volleyball at UCLA, Williams won a gold medal with the U.S. women’s basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The Aces hoped to become the first team since the Houston Comets in 1997-2000 to win at least three consecutive titles, but lost in four games to the eventual champion Liberty.
The next general manager will inherit a team with most of its core players intact, including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. However, Kelsey Plum is a key pending free agent. The Aces also could be affected by the upcoming expansion draft.
“It has been a joy and honor to serve as General Manager of the Las Vegas Aces,” Williams said in a statement. “Winning two WNBA Championships with this incredible group of players and staff has been a dream come true. I want to thank (owner) Mark Davis and the Aces Organization for the incredible opportunity to help lead this franchise. I love the WNBA, and it has been wonderful watching the growth of the game. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”
Hamby, an All-Star for Los Angeles, filed a federal lawsuit in August that alleges discrimination and retaliation for becoming pregnant, which resulted in a trade to the Sparks. The WNBA and Aces filed motions last month to dismiss the suit.
Hammon said in May 2023 that Hamby was traded for strategic reasons, namely putting the team in position to sign star Candace Parker.
The WNBA investigated the matter and suspended Hammon for two games without pay in May 2023. The Aces were docked their first-round 2025 draft pick for providing impermissible player benefits involving Hamby.
Also, the WNBA hired an outside law firm to investigate whether the Aces circumvented the salary cap when the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced May 18 it made $100,000 annual sponsorship offers to players this season and in 2025.
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