In July earlier this year, when ESPN’s Malika Andrews asked A’ja Wilson if she thought she was the greatest player of all time, the Las Vegas Aces star tried to shut down the conversation, saying she couldn’t imagine her name on the GOAT list at this point in her career. Wilson still thinks that she has a lot to prove in her career, and perhaps that remains at the core of her motivation.
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The WNBA star was already at the top of the list with her 4th MVP award last season. With her 5th MVP, Wilson has just increased the gap between her and the next on the list. Her MVP came at a time when the conversation about voters’ fatigue has started to pick up in the media.
“I would be remiss if we did not mention A’ja Wilson being named the 2026 WNBA MVP. Fifth time as MVP. Unbelievable,” WNBA legend Candace Parker said on the Post Moves podcast on Wednesday. “She led the league in scoring and blocks per game. And you know what? I’m more excited about the fact that the league and its voting have not gotten bored with greatness because you cannot get bored with this.”
Given how dominant Wilson has been, it is hard to deny the potential for voters’ fatigue. In the last three years, Wilson has been the absolute best player in the league. However, she has been largely considered the best in the league since 2022, and she has been consistent.
With the 2026 MVP award, she has completed three in a row. She has also led the league in scoring since 2024, while also leading the individual blocks category since 2022. In nine years in the league, Wilson has led the league in blocks six times.
“I can say for the first time a player won MVP in three consecutive years. That’s dominance. She’s been in the league nine years, and she’s won five MVPs in those nine years,” Parker added. “So just a testament to her work ethic, her continued growth and her organization…A’ja Wilson has now had more MVP seasons than non-MVP seasons in the W.” Yeah, that’s a crazy poll. That’s insane.”
Wilson’s greatness is closely tied to how much she invests in her game when cameras are not rolling. Every year, she continues to add a new aspect to her game. For the first four years in her career, the Aces star didn’t attempt a single 3-point shot. In 2022, she attempted 2.3 shots from beyond the arc. In the last two years, Wilson has shot 42.4% & 40.4% from the 3-point line.
Despite being the best in the game, the Aces star hasn’t settled on her talent. Every year, she expands that gap between her and the next player in the league.
A’ja Wilson’s support system deserves praise for her continued dominance
After the Aces crashed out of the playoffs in 2024, failing to complete a three-peat, the end of the Aces’ era took the front seat. The New York Liberty won the title that season, amid the Minnesota Lynx taking the top spot in the regular-season standings.
The Aces came back a year later and won their third title last season, and Wilson won her second Finals MVP. It was an answer from the five-time MVP that she wasn’t just a regular-season show.
The Aces star’s ability to do everything on the court stems from the people around her, starting with Aces head coach Becky Hammon and the franchise itself. For Candace Parker, both Hammon and the franchise needed to be acknowledged for their relentless support for Wilson.
“I think you’ve got to mention the impact that Becky Hammon has had on her career and the organization itself, her teammates and her team,” Parker said. “So to be able to do that while winning championships is huge.”
Wilson has also received a lot of support from her NBA star boyfriend, Bam Adebayo. The Miami Heat star and Wilson have been dating for over two years now. From practicing together to being each other’s biggest fans, two basketball stars have found ways to push each other to be better.
Bam had known about Wilson winning her fifth MVP weeks before it was announced. But the NBA star kept it a secret, only to prepare a wholesome message for his girlfriend.
“IDC what anyone else says; you’re the greatest of all time. I will always celebrate you,” Bam said in a voice message he sent to Wilson after her MVP win.
Is she the greatest of all time yet? Maybe. But one thing is for sure: she will sit on Mt. Rushmore of WNBA basketball when it’s all said and done.