Source: Steph Chambers / Getty
In what has already been one of the most monumental and meaningful WNBA seasons in recent memory, one of the league’s brightest talents has made history.
Sunday morning, the league announced that A’ja Wilson had been unanimously named MVP of the regular season. This is the third time earning the honor, with the first coming in 2020 and 2022. She also becomes only the second person ever to win all 67 first-place votes for 670 points from the selected media members, with the first being Sheryl Swoopes in 1997. She also becomes the third WNBA player ever to get the award three times, as Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren are the only others in that special club.
The Las Vegas Ace was well beyond second place, as the standings were rounded out by Minnesota Lynx Napheesa Collier‘s 467 points and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart—who nabbed 295 points—in third place. Rookie Caitlin Clark, responsible for many of the new eyes on the league, was in fourth place with 130 points, while her rival Angel Reese only received one vote for fourth place.
With Wilson leading an impressive list of vote-getters, her team found a heartfelt way to break the news to her. In a video posted to the Aces’ X page, coach Becky Hammond puts her phone on speakerphone as WNBA commish Cathy Engelbert breaks the news to Wilson as her teammates erupt in the film room.
An emotional Wilson then took to the front of the room to praise her teammates for helping her have an impressive season, which included averaging a league-leading 26.9 points and a career-high in rebounding, blocks, and steals.
“I cannot thank you all enough. I hope you guys understand how much you mean to me. I hope you guys know that this trophy is nothing without y’all,” she said. “We’ve been through the wringer – and we gon’ continue to go through the wringer – but one thing y’all don’t ever have to worry about is A’ja going anywhere.”
See how social media is reacting to the news below as the fourth-place Aces prep for the playoffs.