A’ja Wilson makes WNBA history with fourth MVP award

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson has been named the WNBA Most Valuable Player for the fourth time, making history as the first player to win the award four times. Wilson edged Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx in the voting, receiving 51 first-place votes and 657 points to Collier’s 18 first-place votes and 534 points. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas finished third with 391 points, followed by Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray with 180 points and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell with 93 points.

Wilson joined an elite group by earning a fourth MVP. She previously won the award in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and is among a small cluster of players to win multiple MVPs. She was also the second player to win MVP unanimously. The accomplishment comes as Wilson produced a standout season for the Aces, who will enter the playoffs aiming for another title.

This season Wilson led the league in points per game at 23.4 and blocks per game at 2.3, while averaging 10.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. She was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Alanna Smith of the Lynx. The blend of scoring, defense and playmaking underscored her MVP case as Las Vegas secured a strong regular-season finish.

Aces head coach Becky Hammon praised Wilson, noting the 29-year-old has continued to elevate her game in a league that keeps getting better. Hammon described Wilson as poetry in motion and suggested she could win four more MVPs by the time her career is finished.

The Aces will face the Fever in the playoff semifinals, with the series beginning Sunday. The team has positioned itself to chase a title after a dominant regular season, built in part on Wilson’s historic production and leadership on and off the court.

Wilson’s performance this season has reflected a broader rise in the league’s competitiveness. As teams across the league have invested in versatile stars and tactical depth, Wilson’s ability to pair elite scoring with shot-blocking and defensive presence has stood out, reinforcing her status as one of the defining players of her era.