A’ja Wilson Makes History: Four-Time MVP in the WNBA
A’ja Wilson, star of the Las Vegas Aces, has been awarded the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the fourth time in her career, marking a milestone in league history. This recognition comes for the second consecutive year, solidifying her dominance in women’s basketball. The award ceremony took place on Sunday, after a season in which Wilson proved her worth, surpassing her closest competitor, Napheesa Collier, of the Minnesota Lynx. Wilson received 51 first-place votes and accumulated 657 points, while Collier received 18 first-place votes and 534 points. Other notable players were also finalists, including Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever). The surprise for Wilson came on Friday, when WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat star and Wilson’s boyfriend, presented her with the trophy at the end of a practice.This new award places Wilson above legends like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson, who have won the MVP three times. In 2024, Wilson joined Cynthia Cooper as the only players to be unanimously chosen as MVP.“It hasn’t been easy for us. They counted us out,” an emotional Wilson told her teammates after receiving the award. “They counted us dead, but we showed up every day… It bears my name, but it’s for all of us. There is no [award] without each and every one of you.”
A’ja Wilson
Wilson, 29, was also named MVP in 2020 and 2022. The other finalists have not won the MVP award. Collier, for her part, became the second player in WNBA history to finish a regular season with a 50-40-90 shooting percentage. Wilson led the WNBA with an average of 23.4 points and 2.3 blocks per game, in addition to contributing 10.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. She was also named Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Aces, fueled by Wilson’s performance, achieved a franchise-record 17-game winning streak and advanced to the semifinals, where they face the Indiana Fever. Wilson herself expressed her mental growth and her ability to read the defense, which has allowed her to improve her game. The Las Vegas team began their playoff journey with a win in the first game against the Seattle Storm, but they fell in the second. In the third game, Wilson scored 38 points, tying her personal playoff record. The Aces and Wilson lost the first game of the semifinals against the Indiana Fever, with a score of 89-73.“There is no Mount Rushmore,” Aces coach Becky Hammon told Wilson. “You are the only one. You are Everest.”
Becky Hammon
