As we near the all-important WNBA playoffs, the race for the MVP title will continue right till the end, as this is one of the tightest ones we have ever witnessed, considering the stars competing. While fans are confused over who should win among the likes of A’ja Wilson, Olivia Miles, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Paige Bueckers, and Breanna Stewart, WNBA legend Lauren Jackson has a clear choice.
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“A’ja. A’ja Wilson,” Jackson told reporters during her visit to the Philippines for NBA House, according to All-Star Magazine.
“Again, she has had another remarkable season, and I don’t think anyone can really stack up to her. There are so many great players over there. Obviously, I love Stewie. She’s a great player. But there’s also Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. Actually, I’m naming everyone now, but I would say A’ja.”
While the Australian icon and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer retired with career averages of 18.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks and won three MVP awards herself, Wilson has taken it to a whole new level.
In her first 36 games this season, the four-time MVP averaged 26.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.4 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three, and 85.8 percent from the free-throw line. In fact, she’s on the verge of producing three of the highest-scoring seasons the WNBA has ever seen, with her current average of 26.0 points per game. Wilson has already surpassed her 2025 scoring average of 23.4 points. With such box score numbers, there is no wonder the Aces star is the favorite to extend her record to five MVP titles.
In comparison, Caitlin Clark is averaging 22.1 points, placing third on the WNBA’s 2026 scoring list behind Wilson and her teammate Kelsey Mitchell (24.8). However, Clark is leading the league in assists with 8.3 and is tied with Alyssa Thomas.
Paige Bueckers, on the other hand, has the upper hand on Clark with 7.8 field goals made, but is still behind Wilson, who leads the league in this metric too. So it’s not surprising why Jackson is preferring Wilson in the race. In fact, one of Clark’s former teammates shares the same view as Jackson.
“My MVP? Probably A’ja. I think people, a lot of the time, have greatness fatigue, and not in other sports, but for some reason with the WNBA they do, and I just think that’s going to be something that’s not seen for a long time,” former Fever star Sydney Colson said during her appearance on Yahoo Sports Daily.
Last season was probably the Aces forward’s defining one, when she became the first player from either the WNBA or the NBA to win the scoring title, regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in one season.
Wilson led the Aces to their third championship in the last four years, averaging 26.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.5 blocks during the 2025 postseason. She also won the Female Athlete of the Year for her efforts. And that’s why Jackson sees Wilson as a lot more than just this year’s leading MVP candidate.
ESPN's top 5 wnba player rankings are locked in! 🚨 At #1, A'ja Wilson remains the undisputed queen leading the league in scoring and blocks! Caitlin Clark jumps to #2, leading the W in assists and breaking 3-point records! Breanna Stewart holds down #3 with inside paint Show more
The conversation around the greatest WNBA player in history remains subjective, with names such as Diana Taurasi, Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie, and Sue Bird always in the running. If the 30-year-old Wilson wins her record fifth MVP title followed by another generational WNBA Finals performance, we may see the debates shift in her favor completely.
In fact, Jackson told All-Star Magazine the argument has already shifted in Wilson’s favor.
“I just think it’s her pure dominance, especially in an era when the league has grown so much. She has been unstoppable for a period of time, so it’s been awesome to watch. And then, obviously, she’s a four-time, possibly five-time, MVP. It’s hard to argue against that.”
However, for now, Wilson needs to get past the new generation of stars like Caitlin Clark and Olivia Miles first, which will only further cement her legacy.