Chelsea Gray Wins Finals MVP After Leading Las Vegas to First Title

Chelsea Gray has been named the 2022 WNBA Finals MVP after leading the Las Vegas to their first WNBA title in franchise history after the Aces beat the Connecticut Sun, 78-71, on Sunday’s Game 3 in Mohegan Sun Arena.

POINTGAWD. 🐐@cgray209 pic.twitter.com/cTFN8SPQLg

— WSLAM (@wslam) September 18, 2022

Gray averaged 18.3 points and six assists per game on 58.0 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from three-point range during the Finals. She scored or assisted on 379 of Las Vegas’ postseason sports, the most in WNBA playoff history, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

“There’s moments in a game where I do not have the ball in my hands, but I’m orchestrating or calling something just because I see it in a different view,” Gray said per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I’ve watched a lot of basketball, and I rewatch our games all the time. It’s the little details that make the difference.”

THA #POINTGAWDDDDD has arrived 😎@cgray209 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/kZPcwN4TVu

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) September 18, 2022

Gray concluded an all-time great postseason run, finishing Game 3 with 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists on 2-3 shooting from beyond the arc. For the postseason, Gray averaged 21.7 points and 7.0 assists per game on 61.1 percent shooting from the field and 55.3 percent from three-point range.

“Chelsea Gray is about the smartest basketball player I’ve ever been around — Her IQ is ridiculous,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said after Game 2.

CHELSEA GRAY 😤@cgray209 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/xneo5MoiHf

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) September 18, 2022

Gray was perhaps the best shotmaker in the postseason, hunting out mismatches and hitting contested J’s at every point of Las Vegas’ run to the Finals. Her ability to score from all three-levels has made the Aces’ offense more potent as Coach Becky Hammon built more of the offense around Gray. After the All-Star break, Gray averaged 15.8 points and 6.2 assists per game on 54.3 percent shooting from the field over the final 14 games of the regular-season.

Oh my @cgray209 😵

📺 @espn pic.twitter.com/8YyFoz5dvd

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 18, 2022

Gray and the Aces will celebrate their title in Las Vegas on Tuesday at 5:30 P.M. Pacific time.