When it comes to pranks, the Las Vegas Aces are essentially the undefeated champs. The latest target? Rookie Elizabeth Kitley, who might soon find herself wrapped up in Duke-blue mischief.
The prank plans began brewing after Chelsea Gray, a die-hard Duke alum, saw her squad dismantle Kitley’s Virginia Tech Hokies with an 81-59 beatdown on Sunday. The win was so decisive it could’ve been called an academic lecture. Gray, like a kid spotting an unguarded cookie jar, couldn’t resist the opportunity to rub it in. She took to X (formerly known as Twitter, but let’s face it, everyone still calls it Twitter) and teased her intentions, tagging her partner-in-prank-crime, A’ja Wilson:
“Aye yo @_ajawilson22 … This mean I gotta dress @elizabethkitley in something reallllll nice? 👀”
Translation: Kitley might soon be strutting around in Duke gear, possibly a T-shirt that reads, “My school got schooled, and all I got was this lousy outfit.”
Kitley Takes the Hit Like a Champ
Rather than throwing a virtual tantrum, Kitley played along, replying:
“Is that how this works😭.”
Yes, Kitley, that’s exactly how it works when your bossy Duke alum teammate happens to be Chelsea Gray. Drafted 24th in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Kitley has yet to make her Aces debut thanks to an ACL injury. But don’t think for a second that her inactive status exempts her from the team’s playful hazing culture, famously spearheaded by A’ja Wilson.
Wilson is essentially the Picasso of pranking. Remember when she made her teammates wear USC Gamecocks gear after their championship? Or when she gifted rookies children’s backpacks like they were heading to a second-grade spelling bee? Pranking Kitley with Duke swag is simply the next masterpiece in her gallery.
When Pranking Becomes an Art Form
If you thought pranking was limited to dressing rookies in questionable attire, think again. The Aces once “forgot” rookie Kate Martin on the team bus during her Golden State Valkyries days. If that’s not hall-of-fame-level trolling, we don’t know what is.
One can only imagine what Wilson and Gray have up their sleeves for Kitley. A Duke-inspired playlist on repeat? A locker-room shrine to Coach K? The possibilities are as endless as a WNBA offseason.
Meanwhile, A’ja Wilson Dreams of Dunking
Speaking of Wilson, she’s been teasing fans with the possibility of dunking in the upcoming 2025 season. Yes, dunking. The rarity in women’s basketball that sparks endless debates about rim heights and physics lectures from Twitter’s self-proclaimed basketball purists.
Her inspiration? USC’s Ashlyn Watkins, who recently delivered a jaw-dropping fastbreak dunk against TCU. Watching the dunk, Chelsea Gray screamed through her screen, “I was yelling DUNK ITTTTTTT!” — because apparently, yelling at the TV makes you part of the play.
Wilson, however, remains firmly against lowering rims to make dunks more common. Her reasoning? It would disrupt shooting mechanics and, well, basketball integrity.
“Do y’all not understand that?” she argued. “I would much rather just like, ‘Ok, let’s get in the gym, let’s work.’ You never know, next year I might dunk.”
Bold words, Wilson. Bold words.
The Dunking Hall of Fame Is Slim
Currently, only two active WNBA players, Brittney Griner and Jonquel Jones, hold the dunking crown, with Griner leading at 26 career dunks. If Wilson joins their ranks, the highlight reels will explode, and Twitter (fine, X) will have a collective meltdown.
Until then, we’ll have to settle for Wilson’s pranks, Gray’s Duke pride, and Kitley’s initiation into the Aces’ “culture.” Let’s just hope Kitley’s fashion sense survives the ordeal.
