A’ja Wilson: An Analysis of Her MVP Seasons in the WNBA
As talent in the WNBA continues to grow, A’ja Wilson, center for the Las Vegas Aces, keeps elevating her game. Her coach, Becky Hammon, acknowledges this evolution, but expresses a concern: that the public will get used to Wilson’s excellence.Voter fatigue didn’t affect Wilson in 2024, where she received 51 of 72 votes for MVP. Wilson has won the MVP award in half of her eight seasons in the WNBA. Each of these recognitions is special, but how do they rank?“I don’t want people to keep raising the bar for A’ja. And if you have voter fatigue, you shouldn’t be voting. I don’t allow someone who plays tired to keep playing; they have to leave the game. I’m thinking, ‘Don’t get tired of A’ja.’ Because what you’re seeing is amazing”.
Becky Hammon
1. 2024 Season: Unanimity and Dominance
The 2024 season of Wilson was so dominant that the MVP selection generated no suspense. Her performance was hailed as the best MVP season in WNBA history. Wilson set a league record in scoring average (26.9), in addition to achieving highs in rebounds (11.9) and blocks (2.6). She obtained her second-highest field goal percentage (51.8%) and received every first-place vote, being the second unanimous MVP selection in league history, along with Cynthia Cooper in 1997. The disappointment of not winning the MVP in 2023 fueled Wilson throughout the 2024 season. Despite not winning the WNBA title in 2024, Wilson was the superstar of the season with impressive statistics.
2. 2025 Season: Final Push and Recognition
The importance of each game in the final stretch of the 2025 season was key to securing Las Vegas’ second place. Wilson led the Aces in an impressive comeback, going from a 14-14 record to a winning streak of 16 consecutive games. Wilson averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, becoming the first WNBA player to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in multiple seasons. She was co-Defensive Player of the Year.
3. 2022 Season: MVP and Championship
The 2022 season was a close competition between Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Hammon, in her first season as Aces coach, considered the contest to be very even. Wilson, driven by the defeat in the 2021 semifinals, set out to win the first championship for Las Vegas in 2022. She averaged 19.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in the regular season, leading the Aces to a 26-10 record and victory in the WNBA Finals.
4. 2020 Season: Revelation Season
Wilson, selected number 1 and Rookie of the Year in 2018, reached the playoffs for the first time in 2019 and won the MVP in her third season. In the league bubble in Bradenton, Florida, with a regular season of 22 games, Wilson dominated the voting with 43 of 47 first-place votes, averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. A relevant fact from Wilson’s first MVP season is that he didn’t attempt any three-pointers in 2020. In comparison, he scored 31 three-pointers in 2022, 19 in 2024, and 25 in 2025.
