SB Nation is introducing every of the 12 members of the US Olympic Ladies’s Basketball workforce this week. Right here’s what you must learn about Chelsea Grey, who’s constantly been probably the most prolific level guard within the WNBA.
Quick Details
Group: Las Vegas Aces (16-8)
Common Season Stats: 7.3 factors (37.7% FG), 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds
Place: Guard
Draft Class: 2014, Choose #11
All-Star Alternatives: 6 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Earlier Olympic Appearances: 2020 Olympic gold medalist (5×5)
Faculty: Duke
She’s referred to as the Level Gawd
Chelsea Grey is called the WNBA’s Level Gawd, able to being each a lethal scorer and facilitator. Final yr, her 7.3 assists per sport marked the third-best clip within the WNBA.
Grey’s playmaking is crucial on a gifted Aces roster headlined by three former #1 picks: A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Younger. Whereas she is a prolific scorer and shooter, she’s additionally been key to unlocking the scoring prowess of her teammates.
“She’s an enormous a part of what we do. She is the extension of the coach on the market,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon informed SLAM in September. “Hell, I’m her assistant. I inform them on a regular basis, ‘If Chelsea calls one thing and I name one thing, you take heed to Chelsea. So, when the pinnacle coach calls one thing, you run it.’”
This yr, the Aces have been 6-6 with out Chelsea Grey — and 10-2 together with her
Grey injured her foot in Recreation 3 of the NBA Finals in October, and missed the primary 12 video games of the WNBA season. With out her, the two-time defending champs struggled, shedding six of their first 12 video games, and spurring some to surprise if the dynasty was over.
However, since Grey returned the lineup, the Aces have returned to their dominant kind, successful 10 of their final 12 video games. She’s not placing up spectacular numbers as she appears to be like for her offensive groove — she’s solely averaging 7.3 factors in 37.7% taking pictures — however her presence has made a right away affect.
“Once you take out a participant like Chelsea Grey, we’ve been constructed like a cake and whenever you take out the sugar from the cake, it’s like cornbread,” Plum stated. “In order that’s what everybody noticed the primary ten video games — cornbread that had no honey butter on it. We simply wanted to get our elements again collectively, that’s actually all that was.”
Previous to that damage, Grey was extraordinarily sturdy, taking part in in 283 of 284 attainable video games after lacking her first WNBA season recovering from an ACL tear.
On the final Olympics, Grey was Group USA’s best guard
On the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Chelsea Grey averaged 7.3 factors per sport on 58.1% taking pictures and three.2 assists, probably the most quantity guards on the workforce. She began all six video games, and is predicted to be a starter in these Olympics, regardless of experiencing some offensive struggles in her return to the Aces.
As a member of the 2020 World Cup, Grey averaged 9.2 factors and 5.2 assists per sport as Group USA went 8-0 en route their fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal sport.
She was the 2022 Finals MVP
A’ja Wilson has been the centerpiece of the Las Vegas Aces Dynasty. However, it was Chelsea Grey who took the reigns to make sure the franchise would win its first-ever championship in 2022.
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Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Photos
The Aces defeated the Solar 3-1 within the finals, and Grey averaged 18.3 factors on 58.5% taking pictures to go together with 6 assists. She additionally shot 45% from downtown within the sequence. Within the clinching Recreation 4, Grey completed with 20 factors on 9-13 FG.
That postseason run, she was additionally the general main playoff scorer with 213 factors, averaging 21.7 factors per sport and taking pictures a scorching 61.1% from the sector.
The 2022 postseason run marked her second WNBA championship — she gained her first title as a bench contributor on the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016.
