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Aces Athletes Unlimited: Bell seventh in Nashville

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Mark Hebert | Last updated Feb 27, 2026 2:17 PM ET

Aces in AU, Vegas on the brain

Four Las Vegas Aces are logging real reps in Athletes Unlimited, the 4-week 5-on-5 league in Nashville where every trip matters. The format rewards more than wins, so the standings shift nightly. As a result, guards Kierstan Bell and Aaliyah Nye and posts NaLyssa Smith and Kiah Stokes have stayed in the mix as the season heads into its final stretch.

Points are the product

Athletes Unlimited turns each game into a personal scoreboard. Players earn points for team results and for individual production, so the leaderboard moves fast. Because of that, a strong quarter can boost a player’s week, while a quiet night can cost ground. When the season ends, the top player claims the AU championship and the biggest bonus.

The Aces check-in

Bell has climbed into seventh overall through 10 games with 3,925 leaderboard points. Stokes sits 14th at 3,209, while Smith is 18th with 2,879 and Nye is 20th with 2,818.

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— AU Pro Basketball (@AUProBasketball) February 27, 2026

Smith has led the Aces group in scoring at 16.7 points per game on 51.1% shooting, and she has looked like a past champion again. Meanwhile, Stokes has owned the interior with 10.9 rebounds per game and 26 blocks, which has shaped games even when she does not score much. Bell has provided balance at 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Nye has added 7.3 points and 1.6 assists, and she has found ways to impact possessions with steals and timely plays.

Week 4 opener: split jerseys, same edge

Week 4 opened February 25 with the Aces spread across both benches. Gold Rush beat Eclipse 98-82, with Bell, Nye and Smith on Eclipse and Stokes on Gold Rush.

Smith powered Eclipse with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Bell finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Nye added 7 points and 4 assists. On the other side, Stokes helped swing the night with 12 rebounds, 9 points and 3 blocks. She also led everyone in AU scoring with 482 total points, so she turned a win into a major leaderboard push.

Bonus money, real causes

Athletes Unlimited also ties pay to purpose. Each player chooses a nonprofit, then AU matches the player’s end-of-season win bonus with a grant to that organization.

Bell selected the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, which supports underserved youth through resources and opportunity. Nye chose the Jijak Foundation, which advances the Pottawatomi cultural experience for tribal members and their descendants. Smith aligned with the Lupus Foundation of America, which supports people affected by lupus through research, education, support and advocacy. Stokes selected the Reproductive Freedom for All Foundation, which mobilizes members around abortion access, birth control, paid parental leave and protections from pregnancy discrimination.

The Vegas takeaway

For the Aces, this is not just offseason cardio. Instead, AU gives them live minutes, new teammates and fast scouting reads, all under pressure. Bell has stayed near the top of the race, Stokes has controlled the paint and Smith has scored like a headliner. If that form holds, Las Vegas will take more than conditioning home from Nashville.