Last season, A'ja Wilson carried the weight of the Las Vegas Aces on her shoulders. One off quarter could shift the momentum. A slow half could spell disaster. But three games into this new season, the Aces have shown they're built differently—and their depth is already proving to be a game-changer.

Wednesday night's dominant 98-69 victory over the Connecticut Sun was a perfect example. Wilson found herself in early foul trouble, limited to just nine minutes in the first half. In past seasons, that might have been a crisis. This time? No sweat.

Enter newcomer Chennedy Carter, who stepped up in a big way. With Wilson on the bench after picking up her third foul with 6:25 left in the second quarter, Carter took the reins and kept the Aces rolling. Las Vegas went into halftime with a comfortable 48-37 lead, thanks in large part to a bench unit that poured in 27 points in the first 20 minutes alone. Carter led the charge with 14 of her game-high 27 points before the break, while Cheyenne Parker-Tyus added 8 and Jewell Loyd chipped in 5.

Jackie Young paced the starters at halftime with 9 points, while Wilson was held to just 6 in her limited minutes. But the four-time MVP wasn't worried. "That was probably the most rest I have gotten since 2022," Wilson said with a smile. "There is just a different feel to it this year. We have to adjust to how the officials are calling it, but that's not going to stop me from doing what my team needs me to do."

Wilson made up for lost time in a big way during the second half. She erupted for 16 points—including 10 in the third quarter alone—finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks for her 121st career double-double. It was a reminder that even when she's slowed down, she's never truly stopped.

But the story of the night belonged to Carter. Her 27 points led all scorers on an incredibly efficient 13-of-16 shooting—without attempting a single free throw. She also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and added two steals. After the game, Carter credited head coach Becky Hammon for unlocking her potential on both ends of the floor.

"She always tells me that I have potential on both sides of the ball and that she's going to bring the best out of me and push me," Carter said. "And that doesn't mean just scoring."

With a deep bench firing on all cylinders and a superstar who can afford to take a breather, the Aces are sending a clear message to the rest of the league: this year, they're not just relying on one player to carry the load. They're a team built to dominate from every angle.