Tom Brady. Michael Jordan. LeBron James. A’ja Wilson? Chiney Ogwumike thinks so. The analyst put Wilson in that group of athletes whose greatness has become so constant it almost feels boring, then dared to put her over Brady. WNBA fans on social media are not happy with the decision.
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“I think A’ja is more interesting than Tom Brady to me because of the dynamic nature of basketball,” Ogwumike said on her Chiney Today show on ESPN. “You can go out there and watch her go split through a double team, get to her 20, 30 points a game, and then also ping your shot off a backboard and hit you with a three.”
For a die-hard basketball fan, Wilson can be more interesting than Brady, but that is precisely because of the love for the game. Ogwumike has lived and breathed basketball since she was in high school, even playing five years in the WNBA as a pro. But there were more reasons to rank the 5x MVP over the 3x NFL MVP.
“She’s in fashion week and then got NBA and celebrities going crazy. A’ja is that girl…The standard is so high as a team that has won three championships. They have a four-time MVP that potentially could be a five-time MVP…leading the league in scoring,” Chiney added.
As great as Wilson has been, comparing and putting her over Brady left many fans fuming.
“And stuff like this is why I haven’t watched ESPN in years. It’s no longer a channel for the guys to just enjoy sports,” one fan wrote on X.
The NFL legend ruled the league for years, perhaps more than the span of A’ja Wilson’s WNBA career. He has five Super Bowl MVPs, and Wilson has two WNBA Finals MVPs.
“This is the WORST sports take I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a lot,” another fan said.
The Las Vegas Aces star has legitimacy in her claim as the greatest player in WNBA history. But Brady’s claim goes beyond the football field. The New England Patriots legend is considered one of the greatest athletes in team sports history. A fan trolled Chiney for her ignorance before making a big claim.
“Tell me you live life with blindfolds on without telling me you live life with blindfolds on,” the fan wrote.
It is beyond doubt that Wilson has been the best player in the league in the last five years. Since 2022, she has won four MVPs, three titles, two Finals MVPs and three Defensive Player of the Year. Her place among the greatest has been solidified. But given the fact that Wilson is still playing, Ogwumike might have rushed in her take.
“The WNBA community has no idea how to act when they actually get some eyeballs on the product,” one more fan wrote, reacting to Ogwumike’s comments.
Brady’s career spanned over two decades, playing 23 years in the NFL. He appeared in 10 Super Bowls and has more titles than any single franchise in the league.
As great as Wilson has been, she has a lot to achieve to be considered on the same level as Brady. But the way she has been dominating the league, it won’t be completely illogical to say that she could have a similar or perhaps a better resume in the WNBA than Brady had in the NFL. She has played nine seasons in the WNBA and dominated the league in half the time of her career.
Chiney perhaps said her words out of a passion for basketball. We will wait to see if she gives further clarification on her claims.