W
HEN THE LAS VEGAS ACES acquired All-WNBA
center Liz Cambage in a mid-May trade, A’ja Wilson couldn’t
help but think about championships. And why not? Wilson,
the reigning Rookie of the Year, and Cambage, last season’s
MVP runner-up, are impossible to guard on their own—let
alone together. The Aces were entering Year 2 of a three-
year plan to bring a championship to Vegas. By trading for
Cambage, they were able to instantly accelerate their progress on that timeline.
“My initial reaction was, OK we’re winning a championship, that’s it,” Wilson laughs.
“That’s the second-year player in me that was just like, Alright, bet, automatically going
to the playoffs. But that’s who I am. I’m a competitor.”
Fast-forward one month, Cambage and Wilson are inside UNLV’s Cox Pavilion for
their SLAM cover shoot. They’ve played all but six games as teammates at this
point, but judging by their chemistry,
you’d think they’ve known each other
since childhood.
In many regards, Wilson and Cambage
are a perfect pairing for their larger-than-
life WNBA city: two megawatt personal-
ities, with all-world games to match. It’s
no surprise that both players are ultra
comfortable in front of the lens. When
the playlist hits City Girls’ “Twerk,” Cam-
bage and Wilson momentarily turn up to
the music and erupt in laughter.
They’ve both appeared in the pages
of SLAM before—dating back to when
they were teenagers. Since then, they’ve
gone from prodigies to two of the most
dominant forces in women’s basketball.
Now, they’re about to become just the
third and fourth women to grace the
cover of SLAM. Cambage and Wilson are
not taking the moment for granted.
“It’s insane. I remember SLAM did a
little piece on me back in Australia, [...]
and now I’m on a cover,” Cambage says.
“It’s just showing you where the women’s
game is going and how much more re-
spect and love for the game there is now.”
The duo keeps things light and fun
off the court. They have a natural ability
to light up any room, and yet are as
approachable as any superstar athlete.
Once the whistle blows, though, the Aces
stars patrol the court like an EF5 tornado
tearing across an open countryside. Fiery
competitors, Cambage and Wilson play—WILSON
42 SLAMONLINE.COM
“LIZ’S GAME
IS JUST SO
POWERFUL. IT’S
VERY, VERY HARD
TO STOP.”