Las Vegas Aces standout A’ja Wilson has achieved a remarkable feat by securing her fourth WNBA MVP award. Wilson, who was the unanimous choice for the award last season, also claimed the title in 2020 and 2022. This places her in a league of her own, surpassing the three-time MVP winners Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson.
In a historic moment, Wilson joins former Houston Comets star Cynthia Cooper as the only players to have won the award unanimously. Cooper, who won the MVP in consecutive years during the WNBA’s inaugural seasons in 1997 and 1998, stands alongside Wilson in this exclusive category.
Throughout the season, Wilson showcased her dominance by leading the league in scoring with an average of 23.4 points per game and blocking an impressive 2.3 shots per game. Her stellar performance also propelled the Aces to clinch victories in their last 16 regular-season matches, securing the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Wilson’s consistency was evident as she maintained averages of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal per game for the second consecutive season, a feat unmatched by any other WNBA player in a season with a minimum of 15 games played.
The WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, and Wilson’s partner, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, surprised her with the MVP trophy during a practice session on Friday. Overwhelmed with emotion, Wilson expressed her gratitude to her teammates for their dedication and resilience, emphasizing that the award was a collective achievement.
In addition to her MVP accolade, the 29-year-old Wilson was also recognized as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Minnesota’s Alanna Smith, marking her third win in four seasons. Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx finished as the MVP runner-up for the second consecutive year, followed by Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury in third place. Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream and Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever rounded out the top five vote-getters in the MVP race.
Voting for the MVP award utilized a points system, with players receiving 10 points for a first-place vote, 7 points for a second-place vote, 5 points for a third-place vote, 3 points for a fourth-place vote, and 1 point for a fifth-place vote. Wilson’s exceptional performance also earned her the title of AP Player of the Year earlier this month.
