Las Vegas Aces sign Valeriane Ayayi
By Ben Dull
The Las Vegas Aces have re-signed 6’1 forward Valeriane Ayayi.
Ayayi signed with the franchise back in 2015 as a rookie. She appeared in 16 games that season as a member of the San Antonio Stars. Ayayi averaged 9.2 minutes per game.
This will be the young forward’s second WNBA season. The franchise has both relocated and rebranded since Ayayi’s first season in the league. Just three other players are still with the franchise from that 2015 season: Ayayi, Dearica Hamby, Sydney Colson and Kayla McBride.
Hamby is entering the final year of her rookie scale contract. Colson re-signed with the club as a restricted free agent this offseason. McBride, the team’s leading scorer in 2017, was re-signed to a multi-year deal as a restricted free agent as well.
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Ayayi, who turns 24 in April, continued to play professionally in France since her rookie season in the WNBA. She is averaging 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists for Bourges. Ayayi may have some upside as a spot up shooter for the Aces. She has connected on 45.5% of her three-point attempts in French League play this season for Bourges.
Aces new head coach and president of basketball operations Bill Laimbeer has added several veterans to complement 2016 No. 2 overall pick Moriah Jefferson and 2017 No. 1 overall pick Kelsey Plum. Veteran small forward Tamera Young and 6’6 center Carolyn Swords were signed as unrestricted free agents.
Earlier this offseason, Laimbeer acquired 2015 All-Star center Kelsey Bone in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Mercury. In a related move, the Aces dealt center Kayla Alexander to the Indiana Fever. Las Vegas also re-signed Sequoia Holmes and Cierra Burdick:
The Aces now have 12 players under contract. They hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2018 WNBA Draft, being held April 12 at Nike’s New York Headquarters.
The Aces also hold the No. 13, 25 and 32 overall picks in this year’s draft. The Summitt’s Howard Megdal has Las Vegas selecting South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson with the first pick in his latest WNBA Mock Draft Big Board.