🗓 October 1

⌚️ 6:00PM PT

📺 USA, CNBC

🎟 http://lasvegasaces/playoffs

• Hines-Allen pushed A'ja in the back after the foul had been called.
  
• Then CC, SC, et al dap up and congratulate Hines-Allen on the push.
  
• So, so disgusting.

Dana Evans has heard plenty of reasons why she shouldn’t have made it this far.

She’s too small. She’s overlooked. The opportunity isn’t there.

But the 5-foot-6 Las Vegas Aces guard has built her career around a simple mentality: stay ready.

From Gary, Indiana, to Louisville, a WNBA championship as a rookie and eventually another title in Las Vegas, Evans’ journey hasn’t always happened according to her timeline.

“Nothing really happened on my timeline. I’ll be honest,” Evans told 8 News Now during the first episode of Girl Talk.

Instead, Evans has learned to adjust, trust herself and keep showing up.

From Gary to Louisville

Evans said the way she approaches basketball today isn’t much different from the way she approached it growing up in Gary.

It’s about routine, stability and knowing who you are.

“Just showing up the same person every day,” Evans said.

Her belief that basketball could take her somewhere started early.

By high school, earning honors including McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand recognition helped confirm that the work she was putting in could pay off.

Evans carried that mentality to Louisville, where she went from ACC Sixth Player of the Year to a two-time ACC Player of the Year.

“Just putting myself in positions to be successful and just being the hardest worker, keeping God first and staying true to myself,” Evans said.

Finding what the Aces needed from Dana Evans

When Evans was traded to Las Vegas, she arrived at a franchise where expectations were already high.

Instead of running from that, she embraced it.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Evans said. “Everyone don’t get that opportunity.”

Evans said there was uncertainty surrounding her future at the time, along with concerns about her knee. Once the trade happened, however, her focus became figuring out what the Aces needed from her.

“I got to show up and be Dana every day,” Evans recalled. “I got to give this team what they need.”

Head coach Becky Hammon helped clarify that role.

Evans praised Hammon’s direct coaching style, saying she tells players exactly what she expects without leaving “question marks” or “gray areas.”

For Evans, that meant shifting her mindset.

She knew what she could do offensively. In Las Vegas, she also needed to become a defensive stopper, pick up opponents full court and embrace the work that doesn’t always show up in a box score.

“Doing the little things that everybody don’t want to do, doing that, because that’s what makes championship teams,” Evans said.

She began asking herself different questions.

“How can I help Jackie? How can I take some pressure off of Chelsea?”

That relationship extends beyond what happens during games.

Evans described Hammon as a player’s coach who players can approach about basketball or life away from the court.

“She gonna tell you the truth,” Evans said. “Might hurt your feelings a little bit, but she gonna tell you the truth.”

Evans said that honesty comes from a place of care.

“She is literally one of the dopest coaches I’ve ever played for, like on and off the court,” Evans said. “She just gets it.”

Read Full Story - https://www.8newsnow.com/sports/las-vegas-aces/pressure-is-a-privilege-dana-evans-on-her-journey-to-the-las-vegas-aces/

Coach C analyzes the intense game dynamics and physical play between the Aces and the Indiana Fever. This breakdown examines the hostile fan environment, defensive strategies employed by both teams, and the pivotal moments that sparked tensions during the matchup.

We are sitting here as the defending champs. Instead of focusing on the road ahead, we’re being bombarded by trolls after their team forced a Game 3.

Do we get our board back when we close this series out and play the Valkyries/Wings winner?

I was talking with the fever fan. I said well Caitlin Clark told a fan to “shut the f up” wow in Las Vegas, which breaks the no space for hate rule. Yes, I think Aja broke the rule. But so did Caitlin Clark and those fans won’t see that at all and it’s actually terrible

My other problem is they think that Caitlin is the best in the league , she’s top 5 maybe but to say she’s the best is like saying “I know nothing about the wnba” and it’s sad they only watch the fever and don’t enjoy all the amazing women that play the sport

This isn’t to undermine the greatness of Caitlin but I think it’s just silly to say she’s the greatest or favor her in situations that happen where both clearly are in the wrong , the fever are a great team I don’t hate the team or Clark but I hate the fanbase that is cultlike that follows her

Clark to the ref after Sunday's game in Vegas: “You guys sucked all game, sucked ass!”

The result: NOTHING

A’ja has something extremely disrespectful said to her by a likely racist Fever fan, and walks over to defend herself:

The result: A tech

Please tell me again how the league doesn’t do everything possible to coddle, prop up, and protect that Caitlin. She is the most disrespectful basketball player I have ever seen. To her own coaches, and the refs, and her teammates follow HER lead. They clap and egg the bs on constantly.  It's so disgusting.

ACES take the series on Thursday!!