That 24-Point Outburst Against Them? Mai Yamamoto Just Got Signed By The Las Vegas Aces!

The Las Vegas Aces just pulled a wild move, signing Mai Yamamoto to a rest-of-season contract Friday night. This isn’t just some random pickup, either. They know exactly what this Japanese guard can do, because she literally torched them in a preseason game just a few months ago.

She Lit Up The Court Against Her New Team

Talk about an audition! Yamamoto was playing for Japan’s national team in a preseason exhibition game against the Aces before this season began. And what did she do? She dropped a mind-blowing 24 points, absolutely drilling seven 3-pointers. Can you imagine seeing that up close and then saying, “Yeah, we need that firepower on our squad”? That’s exactly what the Aces did. She’s been a long-time force for Japan, even scoring 17 points and dishing out five assists in a tough loss to the United States at the 2024 Olympics. Plus, in Japan’s recent World Cup Qualifying Tournament, she was averaging a solid 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. The woman can ball.

From Japanese League Champ To Aces Role Player

Yamamoto’s WNBA experience is pretty slim. She had a stint with the Dallas Wings in the 2025 preseason but got waived before the regular season even started. But don’t let that fool you. Back in Japan, she’s been a superstar for the Toyota Antelopes since 2017, leading them to league titles in both 2021 and 2022. That’s serious winning pedigree. Now, with the Aces, she isn’t expected to put up those monster 24-point numbers every night. Her role will be different, likely coming off the bench and seeing limited minutes. The challenge for her will be figuring out how to make a big impact in this new role, even with less playing time.

Aces fans who saw her absolutely explode in that preseason game are hyped for this signing. They know she can “let it fly.” No matter how much or how little she plays, the excitement is real. It’s going to be fun watching her carve out a place on this squad.

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