Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson was in a class of her own this season.
After averaging career highs of 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks, she won the Most Valuable Player Award.
This is another massive achievement for Wilson, whose historic basketball career began years ago.
After three years at the University of South Carolina, Wilson was chosen by the Aces as the first pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Wilson was automatically given a starting spot on the roster due to the high expectations surrounding her.
In just her first season, Wilson averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, earning her first All-Star selection as a reserve. Once the season was complete, she tied Elena Delle Donne and Diana Taurasi for third in the league in scoring. She won the Rookie of the Year Award while finishing seventh in voting for the Most Valuable Player Award.
Wilson continued to blossom into a superstar
Once the 2020 season arrived, Wilson’s game had fully grown.
Despite not making an All-Star Game due to COVID-19, she still averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest. She earned her first MVP award while making the All-WNBA First Team and All-Defensive Second Team.
Her efforts led the Aces to the playoffs, where they advanced to the Finals for the first time since 2008. Though they got swept in the Finals by the Seattle Storm, Wilson’s playoff performance was special, as she averaged 20.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.
The 2022 season was a special one for Wilson. During that year, she recorded 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game. She also started to extend her range as she recorded a career-high 31 three-pointers on 37.3% shooting. Not only did she make the All-Star team, but she also won her second MVP Award and her first Defensive Player of the Year Award.
When the Aces made it to the postseason that year, they found success. While averaging 20.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, Wilson led them to the Finals and their first championship over the Connecticut Sun. Although Chelsea Gray won Finals MVP, Wilson still averaged 20.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in the series.
All eyes were now set on Wilson
Wilson’s dominance continued into the 2023 season as she averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
Although her numbers were impressive, it wasn’t the only factor that stood out that year. On August 22, she scored a career-high 53 points against the Atlanta Dream, the third 50-point game in WNBA history. Her remarkable performance also tied Liz Cambage for most points in a WNBA game.
Unlike the previous season, Wilson couldn’t capture another MVP Award but finished third in voting behind Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas. She did win a second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award, however.
When the playoffs came back around, Wilson had extra fuel. In the first two rounds against the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, she averaged 25.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per contest. She also had three straight games with 30 or more points. In their WNBA Finals matchup against the New York Liberty, she turned in averages of 21.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. After recording 24 points and 16 rebounds in a Game 4 victory, Wilson finally won Finals MVP.
Right now, the Aces are in the midst of another playoff run. If they do win another championship, however, it will be just one more accolade for Wilson’s legendary career.
Leave a comment