Aces cap off WNBA title by visiting with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House
The 2023 WNBA season may be nearing the stretch run, but the Las Vegas Aces still had unfinished business following last season's championship. The team fulfilled that duty Friday, meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House.
The team took pictures with Harris and presented her with an Aces jersey during the meeting, which was streamed on Harris' X, the website formerly known as Twitter, page.
Happening Now: Tune in as @SecondGentleman and I welcome the @LVAces to the White House to celebrate their 2022 WNBA Championship. https://t.co/NZ2ynNjmys
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) August 25, 2023
Harris started the ceremony by mentioning President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden were unable to attend the event. She extended the Bidens' "best regards" to the team.
During her remarks, Harris name-dropped Aces head coach Becky Hammon, and players like Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson.
Harris then noted the Aces weren't done yet, calling out the team's record-breaking 30th win of the regular season, which came Thursday night against the Chicago Sky. The Aces are the only team in WNBA history to win at least 30 games in the regular season. The team broke that record with six games to play in the regular season, giving them multiple opportunities to extend their record.
Harris also thanked the team for raising awareness in the fight for equal pay, encouraging other U.S. citizens to vote and showing support for Brittney Griner when she was detained in Russia. The room gave the Aces a standing ovation once Harris finished her remarks.
The White House 📍
Celebrating the 2022 WNBA CHAMPIONS the @LVAces with VP, Kamala Harris 🏆 pic.twitter.com/fHHW7PIeRh— WNBA (@WNBA) August 25, 2023
Two months ago, it was unclear whether the Aces would make the trip to the White House. Wilson called out Biden on X after he congratulated the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights on winning the city's first "major" championship. The Aces won the WNBA title months before the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup. Wilson also implied the Aces had yet to receive an invitation to visit the White House.
That invitation eventually came, as Friday's meeting proves, though Biden was unable to attend. Wilson tweeted out her excitement ahead of Friday's event, and thanked Harris for hosting the team when the visit ended.
With that out of the way, the Aces will look to continue to make history during the last couple games of the WNBA regular season. The team's first opportunity to extend its record-breaking single-season win streak will come Saturday, when the Aces take on the Washington Mystics.
