​A’ja Wilson’s classy gesture quickly made former Fever rookie feel at home with Aces originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Justine Pissott’s WNBA journey has changed dramatically in just one week, and A’ja Wilson has already made sure the former Indiana Fever rookie feels like part of the Las Vegas Aces family.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter the Fever declined to match the Aces’ offer sheet earlier this month, Pissott landed in Las Vegas and immediately found herself alongside one of the league’s biggest stars. Wilson wasted little time welcoming her newest teammate with one of her favorite traditions. The gesture came after what has already been a whirlwind start to Pissott’s professional career.Wilson has built a reputation for making Aces rookies feel comfortable as soon as they arrive. One of her longtime traditions is giving each newcomer a colorful backpack filled with essentials, and Pissott was the latest player to receive the treatment.When asked after Sunday’s game when Pissott would receive her rookie welcome package, Wilson smiled and revealed it had already happened.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”Very soon, immediately,” Wilson said. “Justine has a water bottle, a lunch box, a whole lot. So fairly quickly, when I get my rookies, I gotta show them that kind of love. You got to be cute.”Pissott then proudly showed off the Toy Story-themed backpack during the postgame interview.”It’s a cute one,” the rookie said with a smile.The lighthearted exchange highlighted the culture Wilson has helped build in Las Vegas, where veteran players have embraced mentoring younger teammates.Pissott’s path to the Aces wasn’t a typical one. The Vanderbilt product was selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and signed a development contract with the franchise. However, she appeared in just one preseason game before Las Vegas signed her to an offer sheet on July 7.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIndiana had 24 hours to match the contract but declined, allowing the Aces to officially add the rookie. To make room on the roster, Las Vegas waived veteran guard Chennedy Carter. The move paid immediate dividends.In her WNBA debut against the Phoenix Mercury, Pissott exploded for 19 points while shooting 7-for-8 from the field and 5-for-6 from beyond the arc in just 10 minutes. The five made 3-pointers established a new WNBA record for a player making her league debut.MORE: Caitlin Clark had perfect reaction to Sophie Cunningham’s viral UFC ring girl appearanceSunday brought another unique moment as Pissott faced the organization that drafted her less than a week after joining the Aces. The rookie scored two points against Indiana, but Las Vegas struggled as the Fever cruised to a 109-75 victory behind 27 points from Kelsey Mitchell and 20 from Sophie Cunningham.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough the result wasn’t wh