In a season in which she rewrote the WNBA history books, it is fitting that A’ja Wilson’s third MVP is one that makes more history for the centerpiece of the Las Vegas Aces and the face of the WNBA.
According to The Athletic, Wilson’s unanimous Most Valuable Player award marks only the second time in the league’s history that a player won the award in such a dominant fashion. The only other player to achieve this feat is former Houston Comets star Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, who recorded one of the greatest statistical seasons in league history.
Like Cooper’s run to the trophy in 1997, there was little opposing defenses could do to stop Wilson as she set new highs in points per game, total points, and total rebounds. She also became the first player to lead the WNBA in points, blocks, and rebounds in the same season. Wilson also became the first player to top the 1,000 point-mark in a single season, amassing 1,021 total points.
Earlier in September, Aces head coach Becky Hammon told reporters that Wilson has been in a zone for pretty much the entire season.
“I don’t want it to ever get lost on how good (A’ja) is,” Hammon said. “She just does it all. She’s in the middle of a run that sometimes I want to shake her and say, ‘Do you know how good you are?’ But then I don’t want to shake her because I don’t want to wake her up. She can just stay in whatever zone she’s in.”
With her latest MVP trophy, Wilson joins Sheryl Swoopes, Lauren Jackson, and Lisa Leslie as the only three-time WNBA MVP award winners in league history. She is also a favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year for a third time, which would tie her with Swoopes, Tamika Catchings and Sylvia Fowles.
Wilson all but credited a lone MVP voter for voting that she was the fourth-best player in the league during 2023’s close MVP race that eventually went to the Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas. At the Aces victory parade, Wilson remarked, “Whoever you are out there that voted me fourth (for MVP), thank you. Thank you so much,” Wilson said. “I wanna say I appreciate you, ’cause that just means that I got a lot more work to do.”
As the WNBA record books reflect, she did that work in this season and then some, also propelling the USA Women’s National Team to yet another gold medal with her steady play on both ends.
At a team meeting, Wilson told the rest of the Aces that her trophy is really dedicated to them and that she remains dedicated to the organization. “I cannot thank you all enough. I hope you guys understand how much you mean to me. I hope you guys know that this trophy is nothing without y’all. We’ve been through the ringer – and we gon’ continue to go through the ringer – but one thing y’all don’t ever have to worry about is A’ja going anywhere.”
In addition to her individual award, Wilson figures to land First Team All-WNBA honors and First Team All-Defense honors, as reflected by predictions from The Athletic and SB Nation. Wilson and the Aces head to the postseason as the number four seed in the Western Conference where they will face the Seattle Storm at home on Sept 22.
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