Las Vegas Aces middle A’ja Wilson continues to make historical past. On Sunday, the WNBA introduced that she was the unanimous selection because the league’s Most Invaluable Participant.
Wilson is barely the second participant to win the award unanimously, becoming a member of Cynthia Cooper, who did it in the course of the league’s inaugural season of 1997.
Wilson acquired all 67 first-place votes from a nationwide media panel and has now received the award thrice. The Aces’ star ahead was additionally honored in 2020 and 2022. Together with her third win, the 28-year-old has tied the document for probably the most MVPs, matching Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson.
Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier (467 factors) completed in second place this season, adopted by New York Liberty ahead Breanna Stewart (295 factors), Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (130 factors) and Connecticut Solar ahead Alyssa Thomas (83 factors) in fifth.
The second ✨
“I can not thanks all sufficient. I hope you guys perceive how a lot you imply to me. I hope you guys know that this trophy is nothing with out y’all. We’ve been by means of the ringer – and we gon’ proceed to undergo the ringer – however one factor y’all don’t ever have… pic.twitter.com/NOnm0BP4yr
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) September 22, 2024
Wilson additionally completed third within the WNBA MVP voting final yr, behind winner Stewart and runner-up Thomas, within the closest MVP contest in league historical past. Among the many contenders, Wilson was the one participant to obtain a fourth-place vote, a call she mocked all through the Aces’ run to a second successive championship.
Wilson was named finals MVP when she led the Aces to titles in 2022 and 2023, and is aiming for an unprecedented three-peat this yr. Whereas the Aces struggled at occasions in the course of the common season this go round, Wilson was a continuing, dominating on each ends of the court docket.
Earlier this season, Wilson grew to become the primary participant in WNBA historical past to attain 1,000 factors in a season. She completed the common season with 1,021 factors, including 451 rebounds and 98 blocks, turning into the primary participant in league historical past to prime the charts in all three classes. Her scoring common for the season (26.1) additionally broke Diana Taurasi’s 2006 document (25.3).
“I can not thanks all sufficient,” Wilson stated whereas addressing her teammates after receiving the information on Sunday. “I hope you guys perceive how a lot you imply to me. I hope you guys know that this trophy is nothing with out y’all. We’ve been by means of the ringer – and we gon’ proceed to undergo the ringer – however one factor y’all don’t ever have to fret about is A’ja going anyplace.”
The Aces enter the playoffs because the No 4 seed and can tip off their first-round sequence in opposition to the No 5 seed Seattle Storm on Sunday.
