February 20, 2019
Las Vegas, NV (February 19,2019)—The Las Vegas Aces announced today that the team has signed Saniya Chong and Ruth Hamblin to training camp contracts for 2019.
Chong is a 5-8 guard who played for the Dallas Wings in 2017 and 2018. The 26th pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, Chong averaged 2.7 points and 1.0 assists in 33 games as a rookie. Last season she suited up for five games for the Wings in a reserve capacity.
As a collegian, Chong helped the UConn Huskies to three national championships. During her senior campaign, she drained 40.0 percent of her shots from three-point range while averaging 8.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.
Chong is currently playing overseas for Beroe Stara Zagora of the Bulgarian League, where she is averaging 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Last winter, she played for Elitzur Holon of the Israeli League.
Hamblin is a 24-year-old, 6-7 center from the Great White North nicknamed “The Canadian Hammer.” A 2016 graduate of Oregon State, Hamblin was drafted by the Dallas Wings with the 18th overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft. She played in 20 games as a rookie, averaging 1.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Hamblin has not played in the W the last two years, but she continues to ply her trade overseas. This season, she played for Castors Braine, averaging 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in the Belgian League, and 6.6 points, 4.8 boards and 1.6 blocked shots in EuroLeague competition. She has also played in France and Australia, and has represented her native Canada in a number of international events, including the World Cup in 2016.
As a collegian, Hamblin was twice named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and earned All-America honors on two occasions.
