The Las Vegas Aces, who ended their two-time championship run with a semifinals loss to the New York Liberty, fired general manager Natalie Williams on Saturday.
Williams was brought on in 2022 as part of a new leadership team that included Becky Hammon as coach. The Aces won championships in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first WNBA team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02.
However, the team president announced that her contract would not be renewed as part of a “restructuring” of the front office.
Her time with the team had some controversy. The Aces are facing a lawsuit from former player Dearica Hamby and are under investigation by the league for possible salary-cap violations.
“We are incredibly grateful for Natalie’s invaluable efforts in helping build the Aces into the premier franchise in the WNBA,” Aces President Nikki Fargas said in a statement.
“Her time with the organization extends back to the league’s formative years in Utah, and she will forever be a part of our history, having left an indelible mark as both a player and an executive. We wish the best for Natalie and her family.”
The 53-year-old Williams was a four-time All-Star during her seven-year WNBA career with the Utah Starzz and Indiana Fever. She also excelled in both basketball and volleyball at UCLA and won a gold medal with the U.S. women’s basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The Aces aimed to be the first team since the Houston Comets from 1997 to 2000 to win at least three championships in a row but lost in four games to the eventual champions, the Liberty.
The next general manager will take over a team that still has most of its key players, including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. However, Kelsey Plum is an important free agent, and the team may also be impacted by the upcoming expansion draft.
“It has been a joy and honor to serve as General Manager of the Las Vegas Aces,” Williams said in a statement. “Winning two WNBA Championships with this incredible group of players and staff has been a dream come true.
I want to thank (owner) Mark Davis and the Aces Organization for the incredible opportunity to help lead this franchise. I love the WNBA, and it has been wonderful watching the growth of the game. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”
Dearica Hamby, an All-Star for Los Angeles, filed a federal lawsuit in August claiming discrimination and retaliation for becoming pregnant, which led to her trade to the Sparks. The WNBA and Aces filed motions last month to dismiss the lawsuit.
Hammon stated in May 2023 that Hamby was traded for strategic reasons, specifically to position the team to sign star Candace Parker.
The WNBA looked into the situation and suspended Hammon for two games without pay in May 2023. The Aces lost their first-round draft pick in 2025 for providing unauthorized benefits to Hamby.
Additionally, the WNBA hired an outside law firm to investigate whether the Aces violated salary cap rules after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced on May 18 that it would offer $100,000 annual sponsorships to players this season and in 2025.
