The WNBA Commissioner's Cup MVP revealed she 'lost somebody close' ahead of the game, then offered teammates an emotional thank you
- Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray was named MVP of the 2022 Commissioner's Cup championship.
- The guard became emotional after the game, revealing she "lost somebody close" a few weeks prior.
With $30,000 on the line for herself and each of her teammates, Chelsea Gray pulled out one of her most complete performances of the season.
The four-time WNBA All-Star — dubbed the "Point Gawd" by those familiar with her body of work — recorded 19 points, four rebounds, and five assists to help her Las Vegas Aces win the second-annual WNBA Commissioner's Cup. Her impressive stat line, along with several noteworthy hustle plays not included on the box score, led Gray to championship game MVP honors and an additional $5,000 bonus.
The Aces loved it:
The award — and the heartwarming reaction from her teammates when WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced her name — had some extra meaning for the 29-year-old star.
"That was an amazing feeling," Gray said of her teammates' response. "It's been a hard couple of weeks for me. I lost somebody close to me. It's been a hard couple weeks."
Gray explained that, along with her family and wife, her Las Vegas teammates have been instrumental in helping her through the tough stretch. She added during the postgame press conference that they've "been there for me along the whole journey" and "constantly checking in" to make sure she's doing alright.
"There's a lot of emotion coming to a head," Gray said, her voice wavering. "But these teammates, they're my dogs, man. They have my back, and I wouldn't be holding that MVP trophy without them.
"I'm definitely blessed to be able to hold it up," she added.
Earlier in the press conference, fellow Aces guard Kelsey Plum sang Gray's praises. The 2022 WNBA All-Star MVP called her backcourt teammate "the best point guard in the world" and "the clutchest player in the WNBA."
"That's the MVP tonight, but she has been leading our team the whole season," Plum said. "I feel like, to be honest, she doesn't get the love and credit she deserves."
"And I'm really, really glad that people saw that tonight," she added.
With a Western Conference-leading 20-8 record, Las Vegas is the class of the league heading into the final stretch of the season. Gray and company have already clinched a spot in the 2022 WNBA playoffs and have high hopes of securing their franchise's first-ever WNBA title come September.