Not Just Caitlin Clark, WNBA’s Disregard for Players May Have Just Cost A’Ja Wilson the MVP

The WNBA has been under scrutiny this season for its treatment of its biggest stars. And no one felt that more than Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who was tossed into a brutal schedule of back-to-back road trips. At one point, the Indiana Fever played 11 games in 20 days, a stretch that left Clark nursing nagging injuries and forced the team to sign hardship contracts just to stay afloat. For a league that is desperate to showcase its brightest star, the schedule felt more like sabotage than support. These minimal recovery windows between two games further aggravated her injuries. But is she the only one to bear the brunt?

Well, no, the same lack of consideration may now come back to haunt another superstar, A’ja Wilson. Riding the league’s hottest streak, the Las Vegas Aces were suddenly handed an eight-day off before a crucial matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. But instead of momentum, the team is facing the risk of rust. National reporter Ros-Gold Onwude explained why this break could become a devastating shift against Wilson and the MVP race.

On the latest episode of the Good Follow podcast, the ex-MVP revealed where A’ja Wilson’s trouble lies. “It’s eight days, and the other team is playing three. They’re just going to have that, that oomph, that timing, that spark,” podcast guest Angel McCoughtry said. “I swear from my experience, that long of a time during the season, you’ve got to play. The rust will build up. You’ll just get sluggish. It’s just something about it. Three days, you’re sluggish. That’s all it takes.” The league’s calendar has a cruel way of shifting momentum for the second-seeded roster. A pause that long could undo the collective efforts of A’ja Wilson & Co.

However, the host had a different take on the issue. “You’re looking at the Aces with eight days to practice sets and tighten up on things they’ve been making mistakes on and all sorts of stuff. Also, this schedule actually has made scenarios that work out really nicely for like A’ja to step up, right?” Ros-Gold Onwude shared. Wilson is currently averaging 23.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. And while she was doing remarkably well this season, her team struggled initially before finding momentum and working with the athlete. And her biggest challenge came during the Atlanta Dream game.

“So, they were on an 11-game winning streak and then their last game was against the Atlanta Dream, the number two seed, and it was really a slugfest for the two spot,” Onwude explained. “So, not only did they win and slide into the two seed, A’ja plays well, especially in winning time. And now the MVP case is going.” Wilson dominated down the stretch with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 assist to propel the Aces into an impressive 81-75 win. Despite troubling schedules, Wilson has posted double-doubles in five of her last six games, reminding voters why she’s already a two-time MVP. But will this sudden long leave break the team’s momentum?

“I also think on the other side that Napheesa Collier and the Lynx have an opportunity to shut this whole conversation down, snap their win streak at 12 and Phee could come out and be brilliant and we could just say, ‘Okay, as we all thought is the MVP.'” With all odds against the locker room, Wilson’s MVP chances are hanging by a thread. Especially as they head into the game against the top-seeded team in the league. With Minnesota Lynx player Napheesa Collier also headlining the MVP conversations, the road only gets tougher for A’ja Wilson.

The last time the two teams clashed, the Aces suffered a shameful 53-point defeat. This grave loss even led to LV Aces head coach Becky Hammon, questioning her team. But the Aces failed to spiral. They rebuilt their strategies. Despite their 12-game winning streak, the Lynx have reappeared once again, only to stand as a bone of contention between the team and their dominance. While Collier and Wilson clash on the hardwood, a reporter reveals her confusion between the two athletes.

A’ja Wilson or Napheesa Collier: Who should become the next MVP?

As the top two-seeded teams in the league clash for the final time on the hardwood, the media is faced with a brutal question. Whom to crown the 2025 MVP title—A’ja Wilson or Napheesa Collier? ESPN’s Kendra Andrews also juggled the same question. She joined host Jordan Robinson on the Women’s Hoops Show and shared her dilemma.

“I think this MVP-like race is going to be absolutely insane,” the ESPN reporter said. “Another save the date for September 4th because the Aces and Lynx do have one more game on the calendar, which I’m so excited about. And, I mean, maybe that’s the game that I’m like, winner gets my vote. I don’t know what to do.”

Despite suffering injuries, Collier has significantly contributed to the Lynx this season. After all, her average of 23.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists can not go unnoticed. But while the reigning DPOY joins the MVP race, the reigning athlete still has enough significance to retain her MVP crown.

Having said that, media persons get three votes each season. Last year, ESPN’s Alexa Phillipou, Kevin Pelton, and Michael Voepel unanimously voted for A’ja Wilson for the title. But with a season this close, everything depends on the upcoming September 04 game between the two powerhouses of women’s basketball.