Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson headlines a group of five finalists vying for the 2024 WNBA Most Valuable Player award, the league announced Thursday.Joining Wilson are Napheesa Collier of the Connecticut Sun, Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream, Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever, and Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury. The winner will be revealed Sunday, following a vote by a panel of media members.
This year’s MVP race features a compelling mix of established stars and rising talents,reflecting a highly competitive WNBA season.Wilson, already a three-time MVP (2020, 2022, and unanimously in 2023), seeks to become only the second player in league history to earn the honor in back-to-back years. She joins Cynthia Cooper (1997) as the only unanimous selections for the award.
Wilson led the WNBA in scoring with an average of 23.4 points per game, and also topped the league with 2.3 blocks per game while leading the Aces to the second seed in the playoffs. Collier, instrumental in the Sun’s league-best record, averaged 22.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Gray, Mitchell, and Thomas each delivered standout performances for their respective teams throughout the season.
The other finalists are first-time MVP candidates. Wilson’s previous wins came in 2020 and 2022,tying her with Sheryl Swoopes,Lisa Leslie,and Lauren Jackson as the only players to have won the award three times.
