Why is Chelsea Gray not playing tonight vs LA Sparks? Aces' guard's status explored (June 9)

Las Vegas Aces fans will have to wait a bit longer to see their star point guard Chelsea Gray back on the court. Gray, a vital piece of the Aces' championship puzzle, will miss tonight's matchup against her former team, the Los Angeles Sparks, due to a lower left leg injury.

The defending WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, currently hold a 5-3 record, sitting in third place in the Western Division.

A key contributor to the team, the All-Star played all 40 regular season games last campaign, averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 assists. The Aces rely on her scoring but even without Gray, the Aces still have a stacked roster that can compete for another championship. Players like Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson will need to shoulder much more of the scoring load.

What happened to Chelsea Gray?

Chelsea Gray had to be taken off the court after injuring her lower left leg in Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. During the third quarter, she felt a "pop" in her foot, according to reports. As a result, she was forced out of the game and the rest of the finals.

Gray was defending Breanna Stewart, who attempted to back her down in the post. Stewart appeared to step on the Aces guard's foot, causing her to limp immediately. Alysha Clark came in to defend the reigning WNBA MVP, and Kelsey Plum completed the defensive effort with a steal.

Gray, though, was limping on the other end of the floor, leading head coach Becky Hammon to call a timeout. The 2022 WNBA Finals MVP was in clear pain on the bench before making her way to the locker room. In the end, Gray did not play in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals as the Las Vegas Aces captured their second straight WNBA Championship.

Chelsea Gray's Recovery Timeline Unclear

The Las Vegas Aces are confident that Chelsea Gray will play this season, despite not having a specific timetable for her return. Gray is with the team, providing coaching support on the sidelines for the back-to-back defending WNBA champions.

"Chelsea is like another coach, so I'm always getting advice from her and just trying to do what I can to help the team," Jackie Young said in an interview with Jack Williams of the Las Vegas Sun."I'm always looking over at Chelsea trying to get some feedback."

Speaking with ESPN's Michael Voepel, Gray talked about her expectation to come back at some point this year, and maybe even for a Team USA Olympic run through 2024 back in Paris. She is no longer wearing a walking boot on the sidelines, although she still needs it in public.