With the playoffs set to tip off in less than a day, the conversation around WNBA MVP has shifted. Becky Hammon showed up to her final pregame press conference ready to spar as most media rushed to crown Napheesa Collier as MVP while pushing A’ja Wilson into second place. “You don’t crown someone at the beginning of the year and then walk it back so that it fits your narrative,” Hammon said. “You observe and you follow where the truth and the numbers lead because the numbers don’t lie.” Hammon has been a vocal advocate for Wilson’s 2025 MVP campaign, but she acknowledges that, when the playoffs begin, uncontrollable factors could ultimately decide the outcome.

The cases for Aja Wilson and Collier are pretty neck to neck. Wilson leads the league in scoring at 23.4 points per game and broke the record for most 30-point games in a season (13). Collier isn’t far behind, becoming the first player in WNBA history to average at least 20 points while achieving a 50-40-90 season. The Lynx have also clinched the No. 1 seed, while the Aces are at No.2. There is very little difference between the two, and according to CBS analyst Erica Ayla, perspectives would play a huge part in the final decision.

Ayala said on the “We Need To Talk Podcast” with Alicia Jay, “I think also we have to open up the conversation to Alicia, is that people interpret numbers differently. I mean, this is human error. We can give people the benefit of the doubt there. Sometimes, there is bias that creeps in.”

It is impossible to be completely objective as a human being. In the back of your mind, there will be some form of bias, even if you don’t claim it exists. Even with Becky Hammon, having A’ja Wilson by her side inevitably tilts the lens. Not that it completely sways her opinions, but the fact is, it exists. On the other side, Cheryl Reeve rooted for her player too. “Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the WNBA. She deserves MVP,” Reeve said. The same goes for the media panel that votes for the award. But another factor could influence the voting in a close race.

Ayla further said, “But, you know, and also what do people value, missing three games versus Napheesa missing more games, you know, but is her efficiency, and that she wanted to come in and be a 30-50-90, and she has done pretty well to be at that or very close, night after night.”

Collier has had an injury-prone season, playing just 33 games compared to Wilson, who has missed only 4 games. While Collier is at 50-40-90, Wilson is close by at 50-40-85 while leading the league in points per game (Napheesa is a close second) and second in rebounds (10.2) after Reese, while being top 3 in others. Whatever way the decision falls, Wilson herself is not sweating it.  

“I honestly just blessed to be in the position that I’m in, honestly, just to have my name in these conversations and on the list of greats,” Wilson told ESPN. Wilson already has 3 MVPs under her belt and is going for a historic fourth. She is already a legend regardless of how this MVP race turns out. “I love what I do every single day, so if it brings another MVP, let’s do it. Let’s go for it. But if it doesn’t, we’re still gonna do it and go for it again.” She further said.

Wilson has carried the Aces on her back for the majority of the season as they enter the playoffs with a 16-game win record, and the title is her priority rather than individual silverware. The Aces are pretty well placed to at least make a deep run and even meet Collier’s Lynx in the finals. But the fans continue to rally behind the Aces star not only because of her metrics but also for what she achieved.

Why A’Ja Wilson’s 2025 season has the entire league on edge

A’ja Wilson has already been named the 2025 AP Player of the Year, marking her second consecutive win, and also earned her third AP Defensive Player of the Year award. “Considering Coach (Dawn) Staley was so hard on me about my defense in college, I’m glad I can have some success at the pro level multiple times,” Wilson said. Her 23.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game put her in contention with Napheesa Collier, but there’s one stat that arguably puts her ahead.

SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell highlighted Wilson’s impact in her piece, “Why A’ja Wilson received my vote”: “When Wilson has been off the floor this season, the Aces have been outscored by 15.2 points per game. When she’s on the floor, they’ve outscored opponents by 11.7 points per game. That’s a 26.9-point swing—the highest in the WNBA among high-minute rotation players, and honestly one of the most ridiculous stats I’ve come across this year.”

Numbers aside, Wilson’s leadership has transformed the Aces. From a mediocre start to a potential championship run, Wilson turned what could have been a mid-tier season into a historic campaign. A No. 2 seed seemed impossible at the season’s start. After a crushing 53-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx, Wilson led the Aces on a 16-game winning streak, proving her ability to rally the team when it mattered most.

With Wilson in the lineup, Las Vegas stands 28-11, compared to 1-3 without her. Meanwhile, Collier’s team has consistently been near the top, making the MVP decision ultimately one of preference. But Wilson’s transformative impact, both statistically and as a team leader, makes her case nearly impossible to ignore, especially as the playoffs loom and every performance will be magnified.