On Thursday, A’ja Wilson added another achievement to her remarkable basketball career, making history as the first player in WNBA to win five MVP titles. The Las Vegas Aces superstar has claimed the prestigious MVP award for three consecutive seasons, marking her fourth title in the last five years.
Becky Hammon, Aces coach, expressed her belief that Wilson’s accomplishments already rank her among basketball’s all-time greats. Wilson not only shines in the WNBA, but she also secured an NCAA Division I national championship with South Carolina.
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Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA Commissioner, presented Wilson with the 2024 WNBA MVP award during a ceremony before Game 1 of the 2024 playoffs first round, held at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. Wilson emerged as the unanimous MVP winner, a title she previously won in 2020 and 2022.
Hammon stated, “She’s beyond Mount Everest, out on another planet, possessing all necessary traits.”
Hammon emphasized that talent alone doesn’t guarantee enduring team and personal success. She noted, “You can have outstanding talent and skill yet not achieve as much as Wilson or reach her individual greatness.”
Despite not delivering her most statistically impressive season, Wilson remained influential. Her 26.2 points per game led the league, coupled with a whopping 79 blocks, ranking her among the league’s top five rebounders. Atlanta Dream’s Angel Reese led with 12.1 rebounds per game, earning the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year title.
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Wilson’s fourth MVP win in 2025 surpassed Hall of Famers Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson, who largely claimed MVP titles from 2000 to 2010. Only exceptions were Candace Parker in 2008 and Diana Taurasi in 2009.
In NBA history, only Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan have won five or more MVPs, placing Wilson among basketball legends after her fifth MVP award, received on Oct. 8, 2026, in Las Vegas.
Wilson expressed, “Setting a standard, rewriting records, and carving a place in history books is significant. I’m grateful to share these moments, giving people and myself something to aim for.”
Wilson received overwhelming support, with all but nine first-place votes. Olivia Miles from Minnesota Lynx secured second place with six first-place votes, followed by Indiana Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell with two, while Caitlin Clark from the same team received one, finishing fourth.
A’ja Wilson faces the challenge of leading the Aces through new territory as they aim to be the first team to rebound from a 2-0 deficit against the Golden State Valkyries in a best-of-five series. This comeback would further solidify her enduring legacy in basketball history.
Game 3 takes place Friday night as the series moves to Las Vegas.