San Antonio Stars
Conference	Western
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	1997
History	Utah Starzz (1997–2002) San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–2013) San Antonio Stars (2014–2017) Las Vegas Aces (2018–present)
Arena	AT&T Center
Location	San Antonio, Texas
Team colors	Silver, black[1][2]
Ownership	Spurs Sports & Entertainment
Championships	0
Conference titles	1 (2008)
Retired numbers	1 (25)
Home Away

TheSan Antonio Stars were a professionalbasketball team based inSan Antonio, playing in theWestern Conference in theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded inSalt Lake City,Utah, as theUtah Starzz before the league's inaugural1997 season began; then moved to San Antonio before the2003 season and became theSan Antonio Silver Stars, then simply the San Antonio Stars in 2014.^[3] The team was owned bySpurs Sports & Entertainment, which also owned theSan Antonio Spurs of theNBA. The team was sold toMGM Resorts International in 2017 and moved toParadise, Nevada to become theLas Vegas Aces for the2018 season.

The Stars qualified for theWNBA Playoffs in seven of their fourteen years in San Antonio. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as all-star point guardBecky Hammon, solid power-forwardSophia Young, former first-overall draft pickAnn Wauters, and seven-foot-two-inch centerMargo Dydek. In2008, the Silver Stars went to theWNBA Finals but they were swept byDetroit.

The Stars played their games at AT&T Center, nowFrost Bank Center.

One of the eight originalWNBA teams, theUtah Starzz (partially named after the oldABA team, theUtah Stars, but with the zz at the end like theUtah Jazz) never met the same success as their (former) counterpart in theNBA, the Utah Jazz. They held the distinction of having the worst record in the WNBA in 1997 and were the first team to select in the 1998WNBA draft. With their selection, they picked 7 ft. 2 in. centerMargo Dydek, who easily became the tallest player in WNBA history. The pickup of Dydek did little to help their cause and they again finished near the bottom of the league in the 1998 & 1999 seasons. The Starzz finally posted a winning record in 2000, but did not make the playoffs. In 2001, the Utah Starzz made it to the playoffs for the first time, but they were quickly swept in the first round by theSacramento Monarchs. In 2002, the Starzz made it to the playoffs again, and this time beat theHouston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals 2 games to 1. Their playoff run ended in the Western Finals, however, as they were swept aside by the eventual champs, theLos Angeles Sparks.

When the NBA divested itself of all of its WNBA franchises at the end of the 2002 season, the Utah Jazz ownership did not wish to retain ownership of the Starzz. The Starzz then looked for local Utah potential buyers, but none were found, leaving the franchise with the choices of either being sold to out-of-town investor(s) or folding.

The Starzz avoided being folded when the franchise was sold toPeter Holt (the owner of the NBA'sSan Antonio Spurs) and relocated toSan Antonio, Texas. The team's name was changed to theSan Antonio Silver Stars and would change its team colors to the silver and black motif used by the Spurs.

Immediately after moving, the new Silver Stars made major roster moves, as they traded star Natalie Williams along with Coretta Brown to theIndiana Fever in exchange for Sylvia Crawley and Gwen Jackson. After losing seasons in 2003 and 2004, the team then traded away starMargo Dydek.

For the first four seasons (2003–2006) after moving to San Antonio, the franchise was unable to change its old losing trend and did not make the playoffs, in sharp contrast to their currentNBA counterpart, the San Antonio Spurs. From 1997 to 2002, the Utah Starzz had a record of 87–99. From 2003 to 2006, the San Antonio Silver Stars record was 41–88.

The 2007 season brought a lot of change for the Silver Stars. They acquired starsBecky Hammon,Ruth Riley, andSandora Irvin in trades, selectedHelen Darling inCharlotte Sting'sdispersal draft, draftedCamille Little in the second round, signedErin Buescher during the off-season, and retained key players, such asMarie Ferdinand-Harris,Vickie Johnson,Shanna Crossley,Kendra Wecker, andSophia Young. The new-look Silver Stars became an instant contender in the Western Conference. On August 4, 2007 the Silver Stars clinched their first playoff berth since the franchise relocated to San Antonio in 2003. In the first round, the Silver Stars were matched up against the Sacramento Monarchs. After losing game 1 in Sacramento, the Silver Stars would win games 2 and 3 to advance to the Western Finals. The Silver Stars faced off against a strongPhoenix Mercury team, which had the number 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Silver Stars would lose Game 1 at home 102–100 on a controversial call by ref Lisa Mattingly. Mattingly called a foul onShanna Crossley with 2.1 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 100. Replay showed thatCrossley made no contact with Phoenix'sCappie Pondexter. However, Pondexter was sent to the line and made both free throws andCrossley's half-court shot to win the game nearly went in. On September 1, 2007 the Silver Stars' season came to an end after the Stars lost Game 2 98–92 in Phoenix.

Heading into 2008, the Silver Stars were regarded as a premiere contender and did not disappoint. After an average start, the Stars seized control of the Western Conference and rode to the best record in the West, and the #1 seed in the playoffs. In the first round, the Silver Stars once again faced off against the Sacramento Monarchs. Unlike 2007, the Stars won Game 1 on the road, 85–78. But the Monarchs would prove pesky, spoiling a potential clinch in Game 2 crushing the Silver Stars at home 84–67. Now the Silver Stars had to win game 3 or face an offseason of disappointment. In the Game, the Silver Stars would secure a 14-point lead and it seemed over. But a late rally by the Monarchs, including the last seven points in regulation, sent the game into overtime. In overtime, the Silver Stars clamped down and proved they were the better team, defeating the Monarchs 86–81, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the second season in a row. In the West Finals, the Stars faced the resurgentLos Angeles Sparks team. In Game 1 in LA, the Stars took an early lead, but an 11–0 run by the Sparks into the half changed the tempo of the game and the Sparks took Game 1 85–70. In Game 2, the Silver Stars blew a 14-point lead in the final quarter, as the Sparks took a one-point lead with 1.3 seconds left. The Stars season was over unless there would be a miracle. However, Sophia Young delivered with a 14-foot turnaround shot to lift the Silver Stars to a 67–66 win. It came down to Game 3, with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line. The two teams battled down the stretch, but the stellar play of Becky Hammon, who had 35 points and 4 crucial free throws, would lift the Silver Stars to their first WNBA Finals, defeating the Sparks 76–72. In the WNBA Finals, the Silver Stars faced theDetroit Shock, who were making their third WNBA Finals appearance in a row. In Game 1 at home, the Silver Stars fell behind early, but would tie the game at 69 with 2:15 left in the 4th quarter. But from there the Shock took control once again and won the game 77–69.

By the time the 2009 season opened, San Antonio were already on a struggling basis, being stuck in fourth place in the West throughout the year. However, the Silver Stars eventually started to rise a bit and later clinched a playoff berth, despite a sub-500 record of 15–19. After winning the first game against thePhoenix Mercury, the Silver Stars were unable to recover and lost the remaining two games to lose the series 2–1.

The 2010 season was not much different for the Stars. They finished with an unimpressive 14–20 record but sneaked into the third seed of the playoffs in a below-averageWestern Conference. The Silver Stars were swept in the first round of the playoffs byPhoenix and it was clear that some changes were needed.

In early 2011, it was announced that the Silver Stars would host the2011 WNBA All-Star Game.

The Silver Stars started the 2011 season with a 7–3 record, led by the return of former head coachDan Hughes. Along with the quality play fromBecky Hammon andSophia Young, three rookies made the Silver Stars' roster in 2011.Danielle Robinson,Danielle Adams, andPorsha Phillips were all drafted in2011. Adams' play was so good that she was named Rookie of the Month for June, beating out top draft picksMaya Moore andLiz Cambage.

In the2012 playoffs, the Silver Stars lost in the first round to theLos Angeles Sparks. The team would miss the playoffs in 2013. In the2014 playoffs, the Stars would lose in the first round to theMinnesota Lynx. Hammon retired from the WNBA after 16 seasons (including spending the last eight with the Stars) afterwards.

Due to renovations atAT&T Center, the Stars played atFreeman Coliseum for the 2015 season.^[4] For the 2016 season, the Stars moved back to the AT&T Center after the renovations to the arena were completed.

The NBA and WNBA approved the sale of the Stars toMGM Resorts International on October 17, 2017, with the intention of relocating the team to Las Vegas and playing at theMandalay Bay Events Center starting in the 2018 season.^[5]

• 2003–2006: At home, silver with black trim. Stars logo text is on the chest in black. Away from home, black with silver trim. Stars logo text is on the chest in white.
• 2007–2010: At home, silver with black stars down the side. Stars logo text is on the chest in black. Away from home, black with silver stars down the side. San Antonio text is on the chest in white. Player's names are beneath their numbers on the back of the uniform.
• 2011–2013: As part of the move toAdidas's Revolution 30 technology, the Silver Stars made subtle changes such as rounded numbers and team nickname on both uniforms. In the 2013 season, the numbers were slightly modified.
• 2014–2017: Uniform sponsorH-E-B was added, and the 'Stars' script was updated.

• Danielle Adams (2011–2015)
• Chantelle Anderson (2005–2007)
• Jayne Appel (2010–2016)
• Jennifer Azzi (2000–2003)
• Helen Darling (2007–2010)
• Margo Dydek (1998–2004)
• Shyra Ely (2005–2006)
• Marie Ferdinand-Harris (2001–2007)
• Adrienne Goodson (1999–2004)

  

• Becky Hammon (2007–2014), now the head coach ofLas Vegas Aces
• Chamique Holdsclaw (2010)
• Shannon "Pee Wee" Johnson (2004–2006)
• Vickie Johnson (2006–2009), now head coach for theDallas Wings
• DeLisha Milton-Jones (2013), now the head coach forOld Dominion
• Wendy Palmer-Daniel (1997–1999, 2005)
• Jia Perkins (2011–2015)
• Erin Buescher Perperoglou (2007–2009)
• Semeka Randall (2002–2004)
• Ruth Riley (2007–2011)
• Danielle Robinson (2011–2016)
• Michelle Snow (2010)
• LaToya Thomas (2004–2006)
• Ann Wauters (2008–2009)
• Sophia Young (2006–2015)
• Shanna Zolman (2006–2007, 2009)
• Tausha Mills (2003)
• Shenise Johnson (2012-2014), now a member of theMinnesota Lynx
• Kelsey Plum (2017-2018), now a member of theLos Angeles Sparks
• Kayla McBride (2014-2018), now a member of theMinnesota Lynx

• Peter Holt, owner of theSan Antonio Spurs (2003–2017)

• Jay Francis (1997–2004)
• Dan Hughes (2005–2015)
• Ruth Riley (2016–2017)

• Tammi Reiss (2001–2003)
• Shell Dailey (2003–2004)
• Vonn Read (2004)
• Brian Agler (2005–2007)
• Sandy Brondello (2005–2009)
• Vanessa Nygaard (2008)
• Olaf Lange (2008–2010)
• Vickie Johnson (2011–2016)
• Steve Shuman (2011–2012)
• James Wade (2013–2016)
• Joi Williams (2017)
• Latricia Trammell (2017)

Broadcasters for the Stars games were Andrew Monaco andBob Weiss. While in San Antonio, some Stars games were broadcast onFox Sports Southwest (FS-SW), which is a local television station for the state ofTexas.

• A sellout for a basketball game atAT&T Center (San Antonio) (2003–2014, 2016–2017) is 18,418.
• A sellout for a basketball game atFreeman Coliseum (San Antonio) (2015) is 9,800.

• 2003Miami/Portland Dispersal Draft: LaQuanda Barksdale (12)
• 2003: Coretta Brown (11), Ke-Ke Tardy (25), Brooke Armistead (40)
• 2004Cleveland Dispersal Draft: LaToya Thomas (3)
• 2004: Cindy Dallas (21), Toccara Williams (34)
• 2005: Kendra Wecker (4), Shyra Ely (14), Catherine Kraayeveld (27)
• 2006: Sophia Young (4), Shanna Crossley (16), Khara Smith (30)
• 2007Charlotte Dispersal Draft: Helen Darling (4)
• 2007: Camille Little (17), Nare Diawara (30)
• 2008: Chioma Nnamaka (21), Alex Anderson (39)
• 2009Houston Dispersal Draft: selection waived
• 2009: Megan Frazee (14), Sonja Petrovic (26), Candyce Bingham (39)
• 2010Sacramento Dispersal Draft: Laura Harper (5)
• 2010: Jayne Appel (5), Alysha Clark (17), Alexis Rack (29)
• 2011: Danielle Robinson (6), Danielle Adams (20), Porsha Phillips (30)
• 2012: Shenise Johnson (5)
• 2013: Kayla Alexander (8), Davellyn Whyte (16), Diandra Tchatchouang (20), Whitney Hand (32)
• 2014: Kayla McBride (3), Astou Ndour (16), Bri Kulas (28)
• 2015: Dearica Hamby (6), Dragana Stanković (30), Nikki Moody (33)
• 2016: Moriah Jefferson (2), Brittney Martin (25)
• 2017:Kelsey Plum (1), Nia Coffey (5), Schaquilla Nunn (25)

• January 28, 2004: The Silver Stars traded the fourth, 16th, and 29th picks in the 2004 Draft to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Shannon Johnson, the 21st and the 34th picks in the 2004 Draft.
• July 19, 2004: The Silver Stars traded Gwen Jackson to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Adrian Williams.
• April 16, 2005: The Silver Stars traded Margo Dydek to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Katie Feenstra and a first-round pick in the 2006 Draft.
• May 18, 2005: The Silver Stars traded Connecticut's first-round pick in the 2006 Draft to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Chantelle Anderson.
• February 21, 2007: The Silver Stars traded a second-round pick in the 2007 Draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Sandora Irvin.
• February 22, 2007: The Silver Stars traded Katie Feenstra and the right to swap first-round picks in the 2008 Draft to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Ruth Riley.
• April 4, 2007: The Silver Stars traded Jessica Davenport and a first-round pick in the 2008 Draft to the New York Liberty in exchange for Becky Hammon and a second-round pick in the 2008 Draft.
• April 9, 2008: The Silver Stars traded Camille Little, Chioma Nnamaka, and a first-round pick in the 2009 Draft to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for Ann Wauters, Morenike Atunrase, and a second-round pick in the 2009 Draft.
• February 19, 2010: The Silver Stars acquired Roneeka Hodges from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for the right to swap second-round picks in the 2011 Draft.
• March 11, 2010: The Silver Stars acquired Michelle Snow from the Atlanta Dream in exchange for Dalma Ivanyi and the right to swap second-round picks in the 2011 Draft.
• April 14, 2010: The Silver Stars traded Shanna Crossley to the Tulsa Shock in exchange for Crystal Kelly.
• April 20, 2011: The Silver Stars traded Michelle Snow to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Jia Perkins.
• May 2, 2011: The Silver Stars traded second- and third-round picks in the 2012 Draft to the Tulsa Shock in exchange for Scholanda Robinson.
• March 1, 2012: The Silver Stars traded Roneeka Hodges to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Tangela Smith.
• March 14, 2012: The Silver Stars traded Sonja Petrovic to the Chicago Sky in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2013 Draft.
• March 12, 2015: The Stars traded Shenise Johnson and a second-round pick in the 2015 Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for a first- and third-round picks in the 2015 Draft.
• April 16, 2015: The Stars traded the 9th overall pick in the 2015 Draft to the New York Liberty in exchange for Alex Montgomery.
• July 5, 2015: The Stars traded a second-round pick in the 2016 Draft to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for Samantha Logic.
• April 14, 2016: The Stars traded Jia Perkins to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Jazmon Gwathmey.
• May 9, 2016: The Stars traded a second-round pick in the 2017 Draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Monique Currie.
• January 31, 2017: The Stars traded Danielle Robinson to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Isabelle Harrison and the 5th pick in the 2017 Draft.^[7]
• February 27, 2017: The Stars traded Astou Ndour to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Clarissa Dos Santos.^[8]
• May 9, 2017: The Stars traded Jazmon Gwathmey to the Indiana Fever in exchange for the Fever's 2018 3rd round pick.^[9]
• June 28, 2017: The Stars traded Monique Currie to Phoenix Mercury for Shay Murphy, Sophie Brunner and Mercury's 2018 3rd Round Draft Pick.^[10]

• 2003: Margo Dydek, Marie Ferdinand-Harris
• 2004: Shannon Johnson
• 2005: Marie Ferdinand-Harris
• 2006: Sophia Young
• 2007: Becky Hammon, Sophia Young
• 2008: No All-Star Game
• 2009: Becky Hammon, Sophia Young
• 2010: Jayne Appel, Becky Hammon, Michelle Snow, Sophia Young
• 2011: Danielle Adams, Becky Hammon
• 2012: No All-Star Game
• 2013: Danielle Robinson
• 2014: Danielle Robinson
• 2015: Kayla McBride, Danielle Robinson
• 2016: No All-Star Game

• 2004: Shannon Johnson
• 2008: Becky Hammon (RUS)
• 2012: Becky Hammon (RUS)
• 2016: Astou Ndour (ESP)

• Spurs Sports & Entertainment
• San Antonio Stars
• Basketball teams established in 2003
• Basketball teams disestablished in 2017
• Relocated Women's National Basketball Association teams
• Basketball teams in Texas
• 2003 establishments in Texas
• 2017 disestablishments in Texas

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