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Chelsea Gray has not played for the Las Vegas Aces this season due to a lower left leg injury. Gray is listed as a game-time decision against the Atlanta Dream on Friday night. However, it's unclear if she will be cleared, as there's no timetable for her recovery.
The Aces had no other choice but to cope with Gray's absence with Jackie Young taking over point guard duties alongside Kelsey Plum. The back-to-back defending WNBA championship started the season with a record of 4-1, but they already caught the injury bug.
Apart from Gray, the Aces are also dealing with an injury to forward Kierstan Bell, who has missed the last three games with a lower right leg injury. Kiah Stokes recently recovered from a foot issue, and the team is still being cautious with her minutes.
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What happened to Chelsea Gray?
Chelsea Gray suffered a lower left leg injury in the 2023 WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty. It happened in Game 3, and she missed Game 4, where the Las Vegas Aces won the series and their second consecutive championship.
In an interview with Michael Voepel of ESPN, Gray ensured the Vegas fanbase that she would play this season. She still doesn't know the exact recovery timeline for her injury, but the Aces are going to be cautious with her potential return. She's also hoping to play for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"We'll see how practices go. You don't want to play when you're rushing yourself back into shape. So, I don't really have a timetable. But I've seen that I'm out for the year, and that's just not true. I'm good.
"We're just taking our time with it. It's a long season, and if I'm lucky enough to be selected for the Olympics, it's longer," Gray said.
How's the recovery of Chelsea Gray going?
Chelsea Gray was recently seen wearing a walking boot at a concert with her Las Vegas Aces teammates. It might not be an ideal sight for fans, but it was just a precaution. Gray is not allowed to be in a public setting like a concert without her boot as protection.
The 2022 WNBA Finals MVP has not worn the protective boot when she's on the sidelines supporting her teammates. She has been a mentor to Jackie Young during her absence, which Kiah Stones appreciates from their 31-year-old veteran.
"It's really hard to replace anybody on our roster. She's just kind of being the leader and in everyone's ear because she can't be the leader on the floor. And I think that helps a lot," Stokes told reporters last Monday. [H/T Las Vegas Review Journal]
