UNCASVILLE — Kiah Stokes has never been concerned about what she does not do.
Playing to her strengths allowed her to help the UConn women’s basketball team to three national championships and put together a 10-year career in the WNBA, the last four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces with whom she’s won two titles.
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“You find your role, find your niche, and you perfect it,” Stokes said after the Aces’ practice Monday. “That’s why I’ve been able to keep a job. For me that’s my defense and my rebounding. I may not be blocking as many shots anymore, but as long as I’m in the right spots and contesting shots, that’s what I can do to help. Look at our roster and how many Olympians and elite scorers we have. I try to take some burden off the other four on the floor with me, as well as others.
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“The teams that see the value in me understand I’m more than what’s on a stat sheet. I’m very fortunate Vegas sees that in me. I like to do the little things and I don’t care whether I get credit or don’t get credit for them. I know what I bring to the team.”
Las Vegas (0-1) takes on the Connecticut Sun (0-1) Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
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The game will be the 283rd of her career that started after she graduated from UConn and was selected in the first round of the 2015 WNBA Draft (No. 11 overall) by the New York Liberty. She spent six seasons in New York before signing with Las Vegas as a free agent three days after being waived during the 2021 campaign.
“I feel like I just blinked and time flies,” Stokes said. “I was overseas a few years ago and one of my teammates was turning 30. I was 25 at the time and I said, ‘Oh, you’re so old.’ She goes, ‘Just wait, you’ll be 30 before you know it.’ Now I’m 32 and I’m like, ‘Where did the time go?’ “
A state champion, Gatorade state Player of the Year, and McDonald’s All-American at Linn-Mar High in Marion, Iowa, Stokes helped UConn to two conference regular-season crowns and three tournament titles, four NCAA Final Four appearances, and the first three of an unprecedented four straight national championships.
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She finished with 602 points and 619 rebounds in 146 games with her 325 blocked shots ranking fourth in program history. She was a member of the Big East all-rookie team in 2012, a two-time American Athletic Conference second-team pick (2014-15) and the 2015 AAC Defensive Player of the Year. The Huskies were 146-10 in her four seasons, winning 84 of the final 85.
But her time in Storrs wasn’t always smooth with coach Geno Auriemma always wanting and demanding more from her.
“We had a love/hate relationship for sure,” Stokes said with a smile. “One thing he’s always said is that he respected me as a person and he was proud of me. Looking back, I do appreciate everything. If I had to do it all again I would go to UConn again 1,000 percent. I had a great experience and I have friends for life for it.”
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But the lessons learned have served her well.
She reached 1,000 career points in the WNBA last July 5 against the Los Angeles Sparks. Her 1,605 rebounds are 12th among active players (47th overall) and her 302 blocked shots are ninth among active players (29th overall).
That 10 years after leaving UConn she’d still be playing in the WNBA is somewhat of a surprise to her.
“During my rookie orientation they told us the average WNBA career was three and a half years,” Stokes said. “I was just hoping to make it that long. Ten years playing the game I love is incredible and an honor. I’m very blessed and fortunate.
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“I love the game. I’m competitive. The teams that I’ve been on have been amazing all throughout my career. I’ve made life-long friends. It’s a huge part of me. I don’t know what I would do without it. It’s sad to have to think about hanging up the shoes when you’re done but I’m not there yet.”
She has more winning to do.
The Aces captured back-to-back championships in her first two full seasons with the team in 2022 and 2023 completing a successful title defense with a series win over the Liberty in the WNBA Finals.
But prior to Game 4 of the Finals, the pain in her right foot became unbearable.
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“I was walking to Starbucks and the pain wouldn’t go away,” Stokes said. “I told the athletic trainer, ‘My foot’s not working.’ I go to get an MRI and on the way back we get a call and the doctor goes, ‘You have a broken vehicular bone. You need surgery and be out six or seven months.’ “
The short-handed Aces, who were also without forward Candace Parker and point guard Chelsea Gray, won Game 4 to take the best-of-five series 3-1. On Halloween, Stokes had surgery.
She returned to play 39 games a year ago and Las Vegas fell short of a three-peat. She did not go overseas for a second straight winter and only now feels like she’s back to 100 percent.
“Alysha Clark had a different foot injury but she told me, ‘You have to give yourself grace. You’re probably not going to feel like yourself for a whole year,’ ” Stokes said. “I didn’t believe her. ‘I’m Superman, I can do this.’ So I took the time to get healthy and get right. I didn’t go overseas or play Athletes Unlimited or Unrivaled. Knock on wood I’m feeling great and it was the right decision for me. Now I need to continue to stay healthy and do my job.”
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Staying stateside allowed her to make it Storrs Nov. 20 when UConn celebrated Auriemma’s and associate head coach Chris Dailey’s 40th season. The Huskies’ victory over Fairleigh Dickinson pushed Auriemma to No. 1 in coaching wins.
She also made it to Tampa on April 6 in time to watch UConn and Paige Bueckers rout South Carolina to capture its record 12th national championship and take part in the postgame celebration with dozens of former Huskies on the Amalie Arena floor.
“It was an honor. It goes to show how much we all bleed blue, right?” Stokes said. “It’s one big family. It was great to see them win and it had to be hard on Coach the past few years with the injuries and everything. I’m so happy with Paige to leave with one. I was happy for him and the program and the perseverance to players showed.”
Stokes is expected to be in the starting lineup for the Aces Tuesday along with four 2024 Olympic gold medalists — reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson, Gray, Jackie Young, and Jewell Loyd.
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Stokes is a perfect fit for that role.
“She has professional habits,” Aces’ coach Becky Hammon said. “She’s a pro 365 days a year. All her decisions and stuff she does off the court affect her performance on the court and she takes those very serious. She’s very bright, a veteran, and she’s able to stick because she does the little things that help you win. She has pro practice habits, just a pro through and through.
“For us she brings a lot of value because of the corporate knowledge that she has. She’s been in our system a long time and she knows exactly what we’re asking of her and how we want certain things done. She knows her role. She takes pride in doing her role and being the best she can at it. For us, she has a lot of value. I’m going to keep making her shoot the ball when she’s open but she’s so happy to do the little things for everyone else. We won two championships with her so we have a lot of faith and trust in her.”
Las Vegas opened with a 92-78 loss at New York Saturday so it will look to bounce back Tuesday.
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“We have a lot of new pieces,” Stokes said. “We need to learn to trust each other and mesh. We lost a big group. We were disappointed in the way we started in New York but they’re the standard and the team to beat right now. We’ve got work to do.”
Las Vegas has become a second home for her.
After signing a two-year deal following the 2023 season, she bought a house in the area.
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“Las Vegas has given me an opportunity,” Stokes said. “I’ve won a couple of championships there. I can’t describe it. I appreciate the organization. It’s been a family for me.”
But she has a decision to make after the 2025 season as she’ll be a free agent.
Is there one more move in her career?
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“I’ll go where the wind takes me,” Stokes said. “I love Vegas but I’m not going to worry about things that are out of my control. My focus is to do what I can to help this team and have a great year. That’s for another time but I would love to stay there.”
May 20, 2025
Staff Writer
Carl Adamec joined the Hearst Connecticut Media Group in June 2023 when the company purchased the Journal Inquirer. A graduate of Putnam High in Connecticut and St. John’s University in New York, he’s been honored by the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association and Connecticut American Legion baseball program in his time at the JI and was inducted into the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.
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