Las Vegas Wes superstar A’ja Wilson has earned WNBA MVP award as a unanimous choice—67 out of 67 first-place votes. The only other player to achieve this feat was Cynthia Cooper back in 1997 during the league’s debut season. Wilson’s accomplishment isn’t just about the numbers; it’s a referendum regarding her dominance in a league that’s seen its fair share of legends.
Wilson finished the season with an astounding 1,021 points, becoming the first player in league history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in a season. Add to that a record 451 rebounds, and you’ve got a player who’s not just filling the stat sheet—she’s rewriting it. Not to mention her averages: 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. Those are video game numbers. Not to mention that her player efficiency rating (34.9) and win shares (10.9) were both tops in the league.
Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx finished second in the voting, and while she was no slouch with 467 points, it’s clear this was Wilson’s year from the get-go. She made it a mission to assert her dominance early, fueled by the slight of finishing third last year. “I didn’t want to leave any doubt,” she said, and boy, did she deliver.
When you think about greats like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson, who also claimed MVP three times, it’s clear Wilson is carving out her legacy amongst the legends of the sport. But it’s not just her skills; it’s her impact on her teammates that sets her apart. Aces coach Becky Hammon said it best: “A’ja is a great example of that—just making everybody great around her.” This isn’t just about individual accolades; it’s about leadership and uplifting those in her life.
As the playoffs loom, the Aces enter as the No. 4 seed, facing off against the Seattle Storm. With Wilson leading the charge, they’ve got a shot at a three-peat. And who wouldn’t want to see her make another deep playoff run? Remember, she was Finals MVP last season, leading the Aces to their second straight championship.
Wilson’s journey from the No. 1 draft pick in 2018 to a two-time Olympic gold medalist and now a three-time MVP is nothing short of spectacular. Having turned 28 in August, one gets the sense she’s just getting started. This season, she scored at least 20 points in 89.5% of her games—a WNBA single-season record. When you add two 40-point games and nine 30-point outings into the mix, it’s no wonder she earned unanimous MVP honours.
In a league that’s continously growing, A’ja Wilson isn’t just setting the bar; she is the bar. As we gear up for the playoffs, all eyes will be on Wilson to see if she can lead the Aces to yet another championship, solidifying her status as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
Photo: Patroklis. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.