Cock-a-doodle Doo ! Iliana Rupert became the third French player in history to win the WNBA trophy with the success of the Las Vegas Aces last night. Becky Hammon-led franchise achieves Grand Slam following dominating the regular season and won the Commissioner’s Cup during the season. In these cases, there is nothing else to do but bow.
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For the first time in franchise history, the @LVAces are #WNBA Champs, defeating the Connecticut Sun 3-1 in the #WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV to take the title ‼️#MoreThan pic.twitter.com/KjErTsQTIM
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 18, 2022
There are seasons like that when you are untouchable. French champion and winner of the EuroCup with Bourges in 2022, Iliana Rupert has just added a hell of a line to her record at Uncasville last night. The Aces rookie has just gained many experience points with this victory in Las Vegas once morest Connecticut in the WNBA Finals. Used sparingly by her trainer during the season, Ili shot 3.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13 minutes on average in the regular season with a peak of 13 points once morest the Liberty of his girlfriend Marine Johannès. She then participated in her first WNBA Playoffs as part of the team to beat. Remained on the bench in Game 4 of the Finals this night (78-71), she still participated in seven meetings of postseason alongside the MVP and DPOY of the season, A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum or Chelsea Gray. Thierry Rupert’s daughter thus becomes the third Frenchie in history to win a WNBA ring following Sabrina Palie with the Detroit Shock in 2006 and Sandrine Gruda with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016. The party will be short-lived for the 21-year-old interior who must quickly join the French team in Australia to compete in the World Cup. Here, it does not seem like Iliana’s crazy harvest of trophies continues a little longer.
What a year ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/ODF4PVQGVN
— Iliana Rupert (@Iliana_rups) September 18, 2022
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— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) September 19, 2022
The other striking story of this Aces title is Becky Hammon. The former assistant to Gregg Popovich at Spurs finished the game in the space of just a few months. For his first season as head coach, the legend of the San Antonio Stars has already won everything in 2022. Best regular season record (26-10) with the best offense in the League (90.4 points per game), winner of the Commissioner’s Cup, winning coach of the 2022 All-Star Game, Coach of the Year and now therefore champion WNBA. Tell us if you’re bored, Becky! The competition was completely unprepared for this tidal wave that saw the Aces claim the first-ever title in their history – following a lost final when the franchise was playing San Antonio and Becky Hammon was still player, in 2008. It was high time for Pop’s disciple to take flight.
At barely 21, Iliana Rupert is already establishing herself as one of the faces of women’s basketball in France. Provided that this sentence becomes even more legitimate following the World Cup in Australia. As for the WNBA, the goal will be to return to win a second title with a bigger role.
