For much of this season, it felt
like the Las Vegas Aces were sleepwalking. The two-time defending
champions stumbled out of the gates to start the season, unable to
string together consistent wins, looking far from the juggernaut
that had terrorized the WNBA over the past two summers. Critics
circled, doubt crept in, and whispers of a dynasty unraveling began
to surface.
Through it all, A’Ja Wilson
stayed steady.
And now, as the Aces have
rattled off nine straight victories, Wilson has reminded the league
– and the world – exactly who she is.
Over this scorching run, Wilson
has been nothing short of historic. She delivered the first
30-point, 20-rebound stat line in WNBA history, a testament to her
sheer dominance on both ends of the floor. She’s scored 30 or more
points in four of the nine games, imposing her will offensively
while anchoring Las Vegas’ defense. The Aces, once floating outside
the upper tier of the standings, are suddenly right back in the
thick of the playoff picture, now sitting at the No. 3
seed.
This surge hasn’t just been
about winning games. It has been about reasserting Wilson’s place
at the top of the basketball hierarchy.
A reminder of greatness
When Las Vegas was losing early,
it almost felt like people forgot. Wilson – a three-time WNBA MVP,
two-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year,
and Olympic gold medalist – was suddenly viewed as secondary in
conversations about the best player in the world. Napheesa Collier
and the league-best Minnesota Lynx drew the spotlight. Breanna
Stewart, fresh off her title run in New York, remained a constant
measuring stick. And with the Aces vulnerable, Wilson’s brilliance
was easier to overlook.
Even NBA 2K leaned into the
narrative, releasing ratings that had Wilson just behind Collier.
No disrespect to Collier – who has been phenomenal this year and is
very much an MVP frontrunner – but Wilson’s case isn’t about who’s
having the better season. It’s about who holds the crown when
everything is on the line. And time and time again, Wilson has
proven that the crown still belongs to her.
What makes Wilson the best in
the world isn’t just her numbers – though they are staggering. It’s
that at 6-foot-5, she can do everything a modern superstar needs to
do. She can dominate inside with post-ups and rolls to the rim. She
can step out and knock down jumpers. She can attack off the bounce
like a guard. She rebounds relentlessly, blocks shots as the anchor
of the defense, and even facilitates for her teammates when
defenses send multiple bodies her way.
Few players in the history of
the league have ever possessed this kind of versatility. And fewer
still have been able to pair it with the consistency Wilson brings
every single night.
Carrying the weight of expectations
What makes Wilson’s current
stretch even more impressive is the context. The Aces were
vulnerable – and in the WNBA, that’s rare for them. Their
early-season struggles had many questioning if the dynasty window
was closing. Was the roster too top-heavy? Was the wear-and-tear of
consecutive title runs finally showing?
Instead of folding under the
weight of those questions, Wilson absorbed them and responded with
one of the best stretches of her career. She didn’t just save the
Aces’ season – she reminded everyone that Las Vegas’ championship
pedigree begins and ends with her.
That’s the definition of the
best player in the world.
Wilson’s greatness extends
beyond the box score. It’s the way her presence warps defenses, the
way her intensity raises the level of her teammates, the way
opponents know they have to prepare for her every second she’s on
the court.
In a league where talent has
never been deeper, where stars are emerging left and right, Wilson
still feels like the constant. She’s the player you trust when the
stakes are highest, the one you’d bet on in a must-win
game.
That’s why her recent tear
carries so much weight. It’s not just domination for domination’s
sake. It’s a reminder: this is still A’Ja Wilson’s league. Everyone
else is just trying to catch her.
Respecting the competition, claiming the
throne
None of this is to diminish what
Collier and the Lynx have accomplished. Minnesota’s resurgence has
been one of the best stories in the league, and Collier has been
spectacular. She may very well win MVP this season.
But the title of “best player in
the world” doesn’t always align perfectly with MVP voting.
Sometimes, it’s about more than a single year’s worth of stats.
It’s about sustained dominance, the ability to elevate your team
when everything is against you, and the proof that when it matters
most, no one else can match your impact.
Wilson has proven it in
championships. She’s proven it with her defense, her scoring, her
rebounding. And now, with her back against the wall earlier this
season, she’s proven it once again by dragging her team back into
contention.
– – –
As the Aces continue to climb,
the spotlight is returning to Wilson. The doubters have quieted.
The conversations are shifting. And the league is being forced to
reckon with the fact that, even in a year where other stars are
shining, A’Ja Wilson still stands tallest.
She doesn’t just want to win
games – Wilson wants to remind everyone who she is: the heartbeat
of a dynasty, the cornerstone of her franchise, and the player who,
no matter what happens this season, has earned the right to be
called the best in the world.
