The Aces have thrived with players selected at the top of the WNBA draft, but they have also made key additions in free agency over the years.

Stars Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum are on the move after Sunday's massive trade. The Las Vegas Aces will acquire Loyd in a three-team deal.

That epitomized the late NBA great’s relationship with the women’s game. After his 20-year playing career ended, Bryant turned his focus to the next generation, mentoring some of women’s basketball’s biggest stars, from WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi to former Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu.

Many WNBA players believe Kobe Bryant would be pleased with the overall progress of women’s sports, which have skyrocketed in popularity and reach in recent years.

The first major move of WNBA free agency dropped on Sunday as the Las Vegas Aces pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd.

Plum helped the Aces win consecutive WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. Loyd, a six-time All-Star, requested a trade last month out of Seattle

Las Vegas Aces trade Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles Sparks, acquiring Jewell Loyd, with Seattle Storm getting No. 2 draft.

Dearica Hamby still smiles at the memory of Kobe Bryant sitting courtside at WNBA games. She had met him years ago. He came to see her old team, the Las Vegas Aces, play all the time. “I think one of the first things he told me was that I could play defense,

Kelsey Plum is headed to Los Angeles as part of a three-way trade that will send Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The Los Angeles Sparks, Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm agreed to a multi-team deal that will see Kelsey Plum head to Southern California and Jewell Loyd to Sin City, ESPN's Shams Charania, Ramona Shelburne, Kendra Andrews and Alexa Philippou reported Sunday, citing league sources.

Kelsey Plum lands in Los Angeles, Jewell Loyd in Las Vegas, and Li Yueru in Seattle in a league-changing three-team trade reported Sunday by ESPN.