Aces standouts detail road to recovery from foot injuries

Fate keeps presenting Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes with a unique set of shared experiences.

Most notably, the Aces’ point guard and center were ruled out for Game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty because of foot injuries.

But they also experienced being new to the Aces together, having joined the team less than six months apart from each other in 2021. Before that, they played overseas in Turkey.

One could argue the synchronicity began as soon as they entered the league, as Gray was selected with the No. 11 overall draft pick by the Connecticut Sun in 2014, and Stokes was the No. 11 pick by the New York Liberty a year later.

It seemed like a cruel coincidence when Gray and Stokes showed up to practice ahead of the title-clinching matchup wearing medical boots. Gray wheeled herself in on a scooter, while Stokes relied on crutches.

But now, as the back-to-back champions prepare to defend their title, Stokes and Gray are recovered and easing back into action. Gray won’t play in Saturday’s 10 a.m. preseason game against the Puerto Rico national team in Columbia, South Carolina, but Stokes is not listed on the injury report.

‘Blessing in disguise’

For all of their previous similarities, Gray and Stokes spent their offseasons quite differently.

Gray, who injured her left foot during the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the Liberty, juggled multiple major roles as she attempted to rehabilitate for the start of training camp in late April. Stokes discovered her right foot injury after waking up in pain, and she spent her four free months going back to her roots while working with the team’s athletic trainers.

Stokes, 31, called her injury a “blessing in disguise” during the Aces’ media day. Because of it, she had the opportunity to spend Christmas with her family for the first time in a while.

The Connecticut product also visited her former high school to be inducted into the Linn-Mar Hall of Fame in honor of the three consecutive NCAA titles she won as a Husky, along with her two WNBA championships with the Aces. As she returned to her home state of Iowa, her Aces teammates showered her with affection and praise for the accomplishment.

Stokes regards the period as a “reset,” which also required some discipline. She was unable to play for months, and although she says “everything feels good” now, her participation in the team’s scrimmages has been limited. Her early minutes will likely be the same.

When Stokes makes her season debut, fans will remember the way she stepped up as a starter last year when veteran Candace Parker was ruled out for the season.

“You don’t need to do too much too soon,” Stokes said. “I mean that’s what the trainers told me. I’m just here to listen and try to make sure I’m fully ready to go by the time May 14 (the season opener) comes.”

Staying busy

Gray, 31, will have to take the slow approach as well. She hasn’t been seen scrimmaging at all, but she’s come a long way in her recovery. She said she started rehab by simply picking up marbles to regain strength in her foot and toes. These days, she can get up and down the court without pain.

The 2022 Finals MVP and her wife, Tipesa Gray, welcomed their first child during the offseason. As she prepared for her new role as a mother, Gray also worked two television jobs. She was an on-air talent for NBC Sports covering the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, and she provided analysis for ACC Network during the women’s NCAA season.

Balancing TV with rehab required at least four hours of lifting, rehab and on-court work before she could even think about hopping on a plane to visit a studio.

“Rehab came first, always,” Gray said. “(On) those game-days, I would make my flight as close as possible (to my call time) so that I could be able to do rehab in the morning, and then I was back the next day. I was never really gone because I was coming back so fast.”

Tyler Marsh, the Aces’ head of player development, said Gray and Stokes are primed to pick up right where they left off.

“Everyone on the staff did a great job of getting them back to where they want to be,” he said. “Now it’s just about getting their timing and chemistry back on the floor.”

Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.