A’ja Wilson has been recognized as the WNBA MVP for the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall, making her the first player to achieve a three-peat in league history. The announcement was made on Thursday, accompanied by a congratulatory voice message from former Vice President Kamala Harris, who praised Wilson for her contributions to the sport.
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Wilson expressed her gratitude for the honor, noting the significance of sharing this moment with Harris. "Obviously, that is an honour. A woman of our history, and I’m so appreciative to be able to share that moment with her through the phone call and the message of her delivering that I won my fifth MVP," she said.
Having previously won the award in 2020 and 2022, Wilson now holds five MVP trophies, a milestone unmatched by any other player in the league. Only Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson have won the award three times.
During the award ceremony, Wilson was flanked by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Aces owner Mark Davis, team President Nikki Fargas, and her mother, Eva, who presented her with the trophy. "Each one of these has not been taken lightly... this one here is just a little bit different," Wilson reflected. She shared an emotional moment, recalling her dreams as a young girl, noting that she never imagined achieving five MVP awards or three championships.
The 30-year-old led the league in scoring this season with an average of 26.2 points per game, shooting nearly 53 percent from the field. She also averaged a career-best 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.9 blocks. The Las Vegas Aces, the defending champions, are currently in the WNBA semifinals for the eighth consecutive season but are down 2-0 in their playoff series against Golden State. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday.
Wilson received 65 first-place votes and a total of 713 points from national sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota’s Olivia Miles garnered 442 points, while Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark received 287 and 212 points, respectively.
"A’ja Wilson is one of one," Fargas stated, emphasizing her unique position in the history of the WNBA and aligning her achievements with legends like Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky.