A’ja Wilson’s decision to opt out of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup just days before Team USA left for Berlin raised several questions. The Las Vegas Aces star cited health reasons for her decision, but with no major health issue publicly known about her, speculation quickly followed. Among those questioning the timing of her exit was Hall of Fame sportscaster and former ESPN host Linda Cohn, who suggested Wilson may have chosen to sit out because she did not want Caitlin Clark’s growing stardom to overshadow her. This did not sit right with ESPN host Cindy Brunson.

Those comments drew significant backlash, with even South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley responding on X, “Linda please!” So Cohn has attempted to explain what she meant, but Brunson believes Cohn’s latest remarks have only strengthened Wilson’s case for another MVP.

“This Olympic level backpedaling just reinforces A’ja Wilson’s bid for her @wnba record 5th MVP,” Brunson wrote on X.

When Cohn’s speculation didn’t land well with many, she clarified that she wasn’t making a definitive accusation about what forced Wilson’s hand. She went on to post another video to X, pushing back against the backlash that came from her initial comments about why Wilson withdrew from the 2026 FIBA World Cup.

“Now about A’ja Wilson. I was just asking questions, and I was surprised by so many of the people out there were making assumptions about me. A’ja Wilson is the best player in the world. I said it then. I am saying it now,” Cohn said. “Did you see what she did in the month of August? I did. That’s the point. In August, she averaged 25 points, 8.8 rebounds, and more than two blocks a game. She shot close to 50% from the field.”

“A’ja Wilson averaged almost 33 minutes a game in the month of August, and she was named Western Conference Player of the Month. Then, less than a week before USA Basketball’s announcement, A’ja was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the amazing 32nd time in her career. That’s how well A’ja Wilson was playing. So when I’m watching the best player in the world doing that, playing those minutes, putting up those numbers, collecting Player of the Week and Player of the Month honors, and then suddenly she decided, without any public announcement, that she’s not going to the World Cup just a couple days before the team boards the plane, I’m going to ask questions.”

“I ask questions to make people think. That’s what we do here on the show. I went right to the source, USA Basketball. It cited health reasons; no details given. I was curious as to why no details were given. And you know what? I wasn’t the only one,” she further added.

The exact nature of A’ja Wilson’s health concerns wasn’t confirmed when her exit from the team was announced. However, a report by ESPN revealed that the WNBA lead scorer was dealing with some trouble with her back and had not been 100% for some time.

She even popped up on the injury report twice in August. So her name was retracted from the roster because of the concern that the demanding World Cup schedule could make things worse for her.

For Wilson, the decision also came during an important stretch of the WNBA season. She is trying to help the Aces defend their 2025 championship while competing against a group of young stars for another MVP award. If she wins, this will be the fifth MVP award of her career.

The Aces center remains widely considered one of the frontrunners for the honor, leading the league in scoring at 26 points per game while ranking among the top three in rebounds with 9.4 per game. Her production has also translated into team success, with Las Vegas sitting third in the WNBA standings at 27-13.

So as the Aces push for back-to-back championships, A’ja Wilson’s dominance on both ends of the floor continues to strengthen her MVP case.