NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2026 – A'ja Wilson, center-forward for the Las Vegas Aces, has been awarded the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, marking her fifth time winning this honor, as announced by the WNBA today.

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Wilson solidifies her record as the only player to receive five Kia WNBA MVP awards, having previously won in 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025. She also made history by being the first player in the league's 30-year history to win the award in three consecutive seasons, with Cynthia Cooper being the only other player to win it back-to-back in 1997 and 1998.

In the voting, Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes, totaling 713 points. Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles came in second with 442 points, including six first-place votes, while Indiana Fever's Kelsey Mitchell finished third with 287 points.

During her ninth WNBA season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals over 32 minutes per game across 41 games. She led the league in scoring for the third straight season and in blocks for the fifth consecutive season, achieving a WNBA-best efficiency rating of 30.4.

Wilson's average of 26.2 points per game places her second in league history, following her own 26.9 points per game mark set in 2024. She also ranks second in total points for the current season with 1,073, just behind Kelsey Mitchell's 1,086.

The University of South Carolina alum achieved impressive shooting percentages: 52.7% from the field, 40.4% from three-point range, and 86.4% from the free-throw line, marking her second-best career performance in each category. She set new career highs for three-pointers made, three-point attempts, free throws made, and attempts.

The Aces finished the regular season with a 31-13 record, securing the No. 3 seed in the 2026 WNBA Playoffs, where they will face the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 of their Semifinals series.

Alongside her five MVP awards, Wilson’s accomplishments include being an eight-time WNBA All-Star, a five-time All-WNBA First Team selection, and a three-time champion. Notable milestones from her 2026 season include leading the league with 13 games scoring at least 30 points and a career-high 45 points scored against the Connecticut Sun.

As part of her MVP recognition, Wilson will receive $60,000 and a trophy designed by Tiffany & Co.