Because the Las Vegas Aces start their quest for a 3rd consecutive WNBA championship, their star ahead, A’ja Wilson, will lead the workforce having acquired the league’s highest honor. On Sunday, Wilson was named the 2024 WNBA MVP, changing into solely the second participant ever to win the award unanimously and the primary for the reason that Houston Comets’ Cynthia Cooper-Dyke within the league’s 1997 inaugural season.
That Wilson took house the award was of little shock. Her season was arguably probably the most dominant in WNBA historical past. She set a brand new WNBA single-season scoring report (26.9 factors per recreation) and in addition set single-season information with 1,021 complete factors — she was the primary participant ever to cross the 1,000-point mark — and 451 complete rebounds. Wilson was additionally the primary participant to guide the WNBA in complete factors, rebounds and blocks (98) in a season.
“I don’t need it to ever get misplaced on how good (A’ja) is,” Aces coach Becky Hammon advised reporters in mid-September. “She simply does all of it. She’s in the midst of a run that generally I wish to shake her and say, ‘Are you aware how good you’re?’ However then I don’t wish to shake her as a result of I don’t wish to wake her up. She will simply keep in no matter zone she’s in.”
Data shattered. Milestones conquered.
A’ja Wilson claims her third MVP title with a historic season for the ages 🌟
2024 @Kia WNBA MVP #KiaMVP pic.twitter.com/5fDSXwkYzf
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 22, 2024
With the victory, Wilson has now gained the MVP in three of her seven WNBA seasons, together with 2020 and 2022. She joins Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson as the one different three-time MVP recipients. Wilson may additionally be a part of a trio of three-time Defensive Participant of the 12 months winners (Swoopes, Tamika Catchings and Sylvia Fowles) when that award is introduced later this postseason.
Wilson completed third in final 12 months’s MVP voting in a traditionally shut race, behind the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and the Connecticut Solar’s Alyssa Thomas. Wilson acquired one fourth-place vote, and later mentioned she used that as a type of motivation.
“Whoever you’re on the market that voted me fourth (for MVP), thanks. Thanks a lot,” Wilson mentioned throughout Las Vegas’ championship rally final fall. “I wanna say I recognize you, ’trigger that simply signifies that I received much more work to do.”
The second ✨
“I can’t 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
Past Wilson, there was little drama as to who would take second within the MVP voting. Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier (467 factors) acquired 66 of the 67 votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Stewart acquired the opposite second-place vote and completed third total (295 factors).
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark completed fourth within the voting (130 factors) and Thomas completed fifth (83 factors). Gamers had been awarded 10 factors for a first-place vote, seven for second, 5 for third, three for a fourth and one for fifth.
Within the 2024 common season, Wilson was named the Kia WNBA Western Convention Participant of the Month 4 occasions (Could, June, July and September) and the WNBA Western Convention Participant of the Week six occasions. If she wins MVP once more in her profession, she is going to turn into the primary participant in WNBA historical past to take action 4 occasions.
Wilson and the Aces start their postseason run on Sunday. Las Vegas is the No. 4 seed and hosts the No. 5 Seattle Storm, with tipoff set for 10 p.m. ET.
Required studying
(Photograph: Steph Chambers / Getty Photographs)
