The Las Vegas Aces are set to face one of the hottest teams in the league right now, the Los Angeles Sparks, at Crypto.com Arena. It’s A’ja Wilson going up against Kelsey Plum, two former teammates now leading their own teams into what promises to be a thrilling showdown. But for A’ja, this one holds a little extra meaning.

A’ja Wilson has often spoken about how much Kobe Bryant meant to her growing up. The first time they met was on May 26, 2019, when Kobe showed up with his daughter and her AAU team to watch A’ja play.

“That moment there was just incredible because you’re talking about someone that is the goat of basketball. Someone that you would hope that you could get a pinch of his mentality, his mindset in order to be great,” Wilson said in an interview with Marie Claire. “He was sitting there having a conversation with me, telling me that my jump shot looks good. Like that right there was all I needed to hear, like nothing else matters in the world.”

Returning to Los Angeles, the city her role model Kobe Bryant called home, was always going to be a special moment for the Aces icon. To pay tribute, she showed up at Crypto.com Arena wearing Mamba and Mambacita Academy gear. The gesture didn’t go unnoticed. Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, even reacted to the photo with a heart emoji on her instagram story!

For those unaware, the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on empowering underserved athletes and supporting boys and girls in sports, all in honor of Kobe and his daughter, Gigi. And honestly, what better way to pay tribute than what A’ja did by rocking their merch for her pregame look?

It’s heartbreaking to imagine what could have been. Gigi Bryant would have turned 19 today, and if things had gone differently, she might’ve been living her dream… playing college basketball at UConn under Geno Auriemma. That was her dream, and she was well on track to make it a reality.

But the Bryants’ love for basketball still remains. Vanessa and her daughters continue to be strong supporters of women’s hoops and the WNBA. Just recently, they were seen inside the Barclays Center attending the match between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty.

Safe to say the Los Angeles crowd did get a glimpse of the mamba inside A’ja tonight as she put on a show in front of more than 12,000 fans at Crypto.com Arena to spoil Cameron Brink’s much-anticipated comeback in style.

A’ja Wilson leads Aces to a huge win against the Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks came into this game riding high on momentum. They were on a five-game winning streak, including a dramatic last-second win over the defending champions, the New York Liberty. To make things even better, Cameron Brink was set to make her return. All signs pointed to the Sparks being the favorites. But A’ja Wilson had other plans.

The 3x MVP would finish the game with 34 points on 16-23 shooting from the field while also grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists as well. This marked her fifth 30+ point game of the season– the most by any player so far. The reigning MVP just keeps proving why she’s still the best in the league.

Being clutch and carrying her team to wins even when the rest of the squad struggles feels like something straight out of Kobe’s story. That’s just how it’s been for the Aces this season. A one-woman show! A’ja Wilson has done the heavy lifting for Becky Hammon’s side, but if the team wants to make a deep run, the rest of the roster will need to step up soon.