LAS VEGAS -- With fans on the edge of their seats, heads in their hands and nerves running high during another close call for the Las Vegas Aces, they held their own against the Connecticut Sun Sunday night with a 94-86 win. Through it all, All-Star Jackie Young continued to prove she was a force.
“I just think Jackie continues to elevate her game in a different kind of way,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said before the game. “As the season progresses, she's just getting better and better and better, which she always has, honestly, because she's such a worker. She's one of the hardest working players I've been around.”
Young delivered exactly what Hammon called for in the matchup against the Sun. In under four minutes in the last half of the first quarter Young posted 12 of the team’s 27 points. After all was said and done, the 2019 first-round draft pick was the second highest scorer of the night posting 21 points, six assists, four rebounds and a 64.3% field goal percentage.
Young now holds two major franchise records, surpassing former teammate Kelsey Plum in both categories. She ranks third all-time in assists (950) and fourth in field goals made (1,153).
“Jackie impacts a lot of nights for me in a huge, huge way and for this team, in a huge, huge way,” A’ja Wilson said. “Her ability to be a three-level scorer, that's not easy. And then, on top of that, defend the opposing team's best player. So when you have a guard, and when all your guards are in line, in that situation, in that mindset, it looks great, and it feels good. So I'm so appreciative that Jackie is being who she is.
“I think that's what makes me the proud big sister, she's unwavering, she's just gonna always be consistent in what she does. I see what she does behind the scenes when the lights aren't on, but to be able to show up every single night—that's the sign of a superstar. And we got our hands on one, for sure. I'm just so glad that she's doing it her way. Every single night, it looks different, but she's just doing it her way.”
Before Jewell Loyd came off the bench, Jackie averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Since then, she saw an uptick to 18.0 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per contest before Sunday’s game.
She ranks second in the league during clutch time, in the last three minutes, with 2.8 points per game.
How might Jackie continue to elevate her game?
“Just stay in the gym. Keep working hard. Watch some film,” Young said. “Each night they're showing different coverage with me, and so sometimes they'll blitz it, sometimes they'll hedge it, it just depends. So just coming off, trying to make the right read, and then just getting my teammates involved. Whether I'm coming off and I have the pocket pass to A (A'ja Wilson), I have my own, or I have my teammates on the weak side—just trying to get better game by game.”
With 12 games still ahead, seven on home court, it’s clear that Young won’t be slowing down. The job’s not done and a big playoff push is underway.
“Our group is playing better, and the way that happens is our individuals play better,” Hammon said. “We all help each other. A’ja is playing better. That helps Jackie. When Jackie's playing better, that helps A’ja.”