Las Vegas — Four days after helping the Las Vegas Aces capture their third WNBA
championship in four seasons, Jackie Young wasn’t on the hardwood — she was behind a
Raising Cane’s counter. On Tuesday, October 14, the three-time champion joined fans,
cameras, and media crews at a Las Vegas Cane’s to celebrate the title in a way that perfectly fit
her quiet, grounded personality.
It was part of Young’s day of media responsibilities, including an appearance on Good Morning
America earlier that morning alongside teammates A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jewell Loyd,
where they reflected on the Aces’ dominant run and the growing visibility of women’s basketball.
Hours later, she’d swapped the broadcast lights for a headset and a smile. “I’m excited,” she
said before taking her first order. “Hopefully they let me take some orders. We’ll see.” She
admitted Cane’s has long been a personal favorite. “After games, they stay open late, so it’s like
my late-night go-to.”
That easygoing energy is a glimpse into what’s made Young such an integral part of the Aces’
dynasty — a player defined by humility, consistency, and relentless work. Three championships
in four years, two Olympic gold medals, a Most Improved Player award, and a résumé that
keeps growing — yet she carries it all with the same quiet confidence that’s been with her since
day one.
The Pride of Princeton
Before she became the steady heartbeat of a dynasty, Jackie Young was just a small-town star
with a big dream. Growing up in Princeton, Indiana — population under 9,000 — she learned
early that work ethic travels farther than hype.
At Princeton Community High School, she set the state’s all-time scoring record with 3,268
points, leading her team to a 27–1 record and a Class 3A state championship as a senior. She
was named Indiana Miss Basketball in 2016 and became a McDonald’s All-American,
cementing herself as one of the most decorated prep players in the state’s history.
“It was hard growing up,” Young said. “But I always told my family, ‘I want to be a WNBA player.
I want to be able to help my family so we can make it out.’”
At Notre Dame, Young’s maturity stood out immediately. By her junior season, she was an
NCAA champion, helping the Irish win the 2018 national title with poise beyond her years. When
the Las Vegas Aces selected her No. 1 overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft, she joined a young
core built for the long haul — but the leap from college star to professional standout would take
time.
“Pressure is a privilege. If I can be someone little girls look up to, that means we’re
doing something right.Jackie young, 3-time wnba champion
The Turning Point in Perth
After Las Vegas’ playoff exit in 2021, Young made a move that would change everything. She
signed with the Perth Lynx in Australia’s WNBL — a decision born out of hunger, not comfort.
“Playing in Australia was probably a turning point in my career,” she said. “We’d wake up really
early, go box, lift, practice — that’s where I spent most of my time. You don’t talk to your family
as much, so you have a lot of time to just work on yourself.”
While she was overseas, Becky Hammon had just been hired as the Aces’ new head coach.
Young recalls one of their first conversations vividly. “Beck told me, ‘I just need you to shoot
threes. Maybe make one a game — but if you don’t attempt them, we’ll never know.’”
When she returned, Young worked with her trainer, Ty Clark, to refine her jumper. “We made a
few tweaks,” she said. “Didn’t do a whole lot — just got a lot of reps in.”
By the 2022 season, she’d broken through. Young won WNBA Most Improved Player, elevated
her scoring by nearly 50 percent, and helped deliver the first championship in franchise history.
The Steady Hand of a Champion
By 2025, Jackie Young was no longer the Aces’ unsung glue piece — she was a pillar.
Averaging 16.4 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds, she was the connective tissue that kept Las
Vegas balanced through every stretch of turbulence.
“Just wanting to be great, honestly,” she said. “I’ve put a lot of time in — in the gym, in the
offseason, during the season — just getting my body right, my confidence right, my mind right.
The Aces needed all of it this year. After a sluggish start and a 53-point loss that made
headlines in June, they regrouped, rattled off 17 straight wins, and stormed back into
championship form.
Every year we come into training camp knowing
we’re prepping to win a championship.Jackie Young, 3-time wnba champion
“It started off pretty rough,” Young said. “But we trusted the process and clawed our way back
into it.”
In the Finals against the Phoenix Mercury, she set the tone early — dropping 21 points in the
second quarter of Game 2, a WNBA Finals record, before closing out the sweep days later.
“I just think I have the confidence to step up,” she said. “My teammates and coaches really instill
a lot of confidence in me. It’s special when coach draws it up at the end of the game and she
wants to go to me.”
The Culture That Built a Dynasty
For Young, success doesn’t exist in a vacuum. She’s quick to credit the foundation the Aces
have built under owner Mark Davis, who’s invested in the team’s infrastructure at a level rarely
seen in women’s sports.
“Mark is great,” she said. “He’s the best owner in the league. He shows up for us and he’s
invested in everything we do.”
That includes the Aces’ state-of-the-art practice facility — the first of its kind in WNBA history.
“Having access to the facility at all times is a blessing,” she said. “We have the best of the best
— training, treatment, two courts. Being able to come in whenever we want is huge.”
That kind of investment has created something larger than a winning team — it’s built a
standard.
“Aces basketball is the standard,” Young said. “Every year we come into training camp knowing
we’re prepping to win a championship.”
Beyond the WNBA: Gold and Glory
Jackie Young’s excellence extends well beyond the WNBA. In 2021, she was a last-minute
addition to the U.S. 3×3 Olympic team, replacing Katie Lou Samuelson just before the Tokyo
Games. Despite joining days before competition, Young helped lead Team USA to the first-ever
3×3 Olympic gold medal.
Three years later, she was back on the Olympic stage — this time as part of the U.S. Women’s
5×5 team at the 2024 Paris Games — winning her second Olympic gold medal and solidifying
herself as one of the rare players to win gold in both formats.
She now joins a small fraternity of athletes who’ve won at every level: high school, college,
professional, and Olympic. And she’s done it all without flash or self-promotion — just
production.
More Than a Champion
As Las Vegas celebrates another title, Young understands her growing influence — especially
for the next generation watching her journey.
“Pressure is a privilege,” she said. “If I can be someone little girls look up to, that means we’re
doing something right. I looked up to Candace Parker, and now I just want to be that example
for the next generation.”
Jackie Young’s focus remains the same — keep leading, keep elevating, and keep representing
what’s possible. She’s already done what most players only dream of: three WNBA
championships, two Olympic gold medals, and a reputation as one of the most reliable players
in the sport.
No matter what gym Young is in — whether it’s Michelob ULTRA Arena or a quiet high school
court back in Indiana — her legacy is already secure. It’s one built on grace, discipline, and
quiet dominance — the kind that defines eras and outlasts the noise.
The post Quiet Power: Jackie Young’s Calm Command of a Championship Era appeared first on Dallas Weekly.