A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces has been named the WNBA‘s Most Valuable Player for the fourth time, making her the first player in league history to achieve the feat. The announcement came as a surprise to Wilson, who was presented with the award surrounded by her teammates.
Wilson’s MVP win arrives as the WNBA experiences unprecedented growth, recently announcing an expansion to a record 18 teams with the addition of franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. This individual honor for Wilson underscores her impact on the league’s rising profile and comes as her Aces team prepares for a semifinal matchup against the Indiana Fever.
In her eighth WNBA season, Wilson has consistently excelled, finishing among the league’s top five in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals. She lead the WNBA in points per game (937) for the second consecutive season and in blocks per game for the fifth time. Wilson boasts impressive shooting percentages, achieving a career-high 42% from three-point range, alongside 50% from the field and 85% from the free throw line.She is also a seven-time All-Star.
“It has my name on it,” Wilson said upon receiving the award, “But this one is all of us, y’all.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert praised Wilson’s leadership, describing her as “a global icon and global ambassador” for the league, women’s sports, and all sports.
Wilson recently led Team USA to its eighth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Summer Olympics, also earning MVP honors in that tournament. The aces will begin their semifinal series against the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
