A’ja Wilson has reached a milestone that puts her alongside some of basketball’s most decorated legends. But not everyone is ready to place her in the same conversation as Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell. The Las Vegas Aces superstar made history on Thursday by winning her fifth WNBA MVP award, becoming the first player in league history to accomplish the feat. Yet, the achievement has sparked another round of discussions among basketball fans.
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The Aces star’s fifth MVP puts her in rare company across the NBA and WNBA. She has matched Jordan and Russell, who each won five NBA regular-season MVP awards, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains ahead with six. The achievement is particularly remarkable because A’ja Wilson has collected her five awards in 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026, including three consecutive victories over the past three seasons.
Her latest season offered plenty of evidence that the award was deserved. A’ja Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals across 41 games. She also led the WNBA in scoring for the third consecutive season and received 65 of the 74 first-place votes in the MVP race. Those numbers underline just how consistently she has dominated the league.
However, matching Jordan and Russell in one statistical category does not automatically put A’ja Wilson on equal footing in every all-time ranking. That reason is where the debate gets complicated.
The Aces star’s fifth MVP is another compelling argument for her place among basketball’s all-time greats. She has combined individual dominance with three WNBA championships and three Defensive Player of the Year awards. But others believe the conversation requires more than individual awards.
Jordan’s six NBA championships and six Finals MVP awards remain central to his case. Russell, meanwhile, won 11 championships in 13 seasons, creating a legacy built around sustained team success. Their careers also unfolded in a different league, under different circumstances, making direct comparisons difficult.
Fans flood the comment after A’ja Wilson’s success
The most frequent argument from critical fans points out the size difference between the leagues. The NBA features 30 teams with over 450 players competing in a grueling 82-game regular season. The WNBA operates with fewer teams and a shorter schedule, leading fans to argue that dominant awards are naturally more concentrated and less likely to be replicated over a career.
“Bro they got like 8 teams🫤🏀.”
Fans know that by putting A’ja Wilson side-by-side with Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, ESPN knew exactly what would happen. It would lead to a massive influx of protective NBA fans rushing to the comments while WNBA fans rushed in to defend her.
The caption of the post was, “The only NBA and WNBA players with 5+ MVPs 😯 A’ja Wilson just entered legendary company 🔥.” So the comments also criticized the post.
“Farm engagement at its best 😂😂 yall know what yall doing with this post.”
But the debate goes beyond the number of MVPs. A’ja Wilson’s fifth award arrived as the Las Vegas Aces faced a 0-2 deficit against the Golden State Valkyries in their semifinal series, putting their championship defense on the brink. Her individual dominance had not translated into the same success for the team in the postseason, giving critics another reason to push back.
“Those 3 guys also didn’t get swept by an expansion team 😂🧹🧹🧹🚮.”
Her relationship with some opposing fans has added another layer to the criticism. A recent heated baseline exchange with an Indiana fan that resulted in a technical foul drew attention beyond the game itself.
Moments like that have followed A’ja Wilson into broader discussions about her career. So another fan brought up her interactions with spectators whenever the media celebrates her achievements.
“But she kicked a fan out of game cause he pointed and said foul on you😂.”
Still, Wilson’s place in the WNBA’s historical conversation is difficult to dismiss. Legends such as Cynthia Cooper, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Tamika Catchings all have compelling cases of their own. Yet Wilson, at 30, is already building a résumé that could keep her in that conversation for years to come.
“I mean she the GOAT for a reason.”
Her 2026 campaign only strengthened that case. Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to average at least 25 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range in a season.
That combination of scoring volume and efficiency gives her supporters more than awards alone to point to. And she may not be finished adding to her legacy.
Still in her ninth professional season, A’ja Wilson has time to extend her records and collect more accolades. The debate over where she ranks among the all-time greats is unlikely to disappear.