History was made in the WNBA this week as Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson secured her fourth Most Valuable Player award, etching her name atop the league's all-time greats. On September 21, 2025, the league announced Wilson as the 2025 WNBA MVP, making her the first player in history to claim the honor four times—surpassing legends Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson, who each won three.
Wilson's achievement is nothing short of extraordinary. Over her eight seasons since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Aces in 2018, she's now claimed the MVP in half of them. The 29-year-old forward-center, already a seven-time All-Star, continues to redefine what dominance looks like in the league. This season, she led the WNBA in scoring with 23.4 points per game and blocks with 2.3, while also averaging 10.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. She finished in the top five for points, rebounds, blocks, and steals—a testament to her all-around brilliance.
"It hasn't been easy for us. They counted us out," an emotional Wilson told her teammates as she was surprised with the trophy at the end of a Friday practice, with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Wilson's boyfriend, NBA star Bam Adebayo, on hand. "They wrote us all off, but we showed up every single day. ... It has my name on it, but it's all of us. There is no [award] without each and every last one of you guys." (Fox News, ESPN)
The MVP voting reflected her dominance, with Wilson earning 51 of 72 first-place votes and a total of 657 points. Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who finished with 18 first-place votes and 534 points, was runner-up for the second straight year. Phoenix Mercury's Alyssa Thomas (391 points), Atlanta Dream's Allisha Gray (180 points), and Indiana Fever's Kelsey Mitchell (93 points) rounded out the top five.
This fourth MVP also puts Wilson in rare company for other reasons. She joins Cynthia Cooper as the only players to win the award unanimously (2024) and is now the only four-time recipient. Cooper, notably, was the only other player to win the MVP in consecutive seasons before Wilson matched and then surpassed that feat. The Aces' coach, Becky Hammon, captured the significance best: "There's no Mount Rushmore," Hammon told Wilson. "You are the only one. You're Everest." (ESPN)
Wilson's journey to this historic moment was anything but straightforward. The Aces started the 2025 season at a middling 14-14, facing doubts from pundits and fans alike. But as August rolled around, the team caught fire, embarking on a franchise-record 17-game winning streak. Wilson's performances during this stretch were nothing short of spectacular, averaging 26.1 points and 12 rebounds during Las Vegas's surge. The Aces finished the regular season with a 30-14 record, locking down the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Her leadership extended well beyond the stat sheet. "Where she took us this year from where we were -- this is the MVP skills trophy, but she has led tremendously through some really rough waters," Hammon said. (ESPN) Wilson herself acknowledged the mental challenges of the season: "Just my mental aspect has gone up. I work on tons of stuff, but I think my ability to read the defense and seeing what type of game it's going to be within the first couple of possessions [has improved]. I know as my career goes on, I'm going to see tons of different defenses, because that's what you deal with. I love just letting my basketball mind figure it out." (ESPN)
Wilson's individual accolades this year didn't stop with the MVP. She was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Minnesota's Alanna Smith, marking her third time winning the award in four seasons. Her impact on both ends of the floor is virtually unmatched in the modern WNBA. In February, the Aces retired her No. 22 jersey, cementing her legacy with the franchise.
The MVP race was closely watched all season, with Collier making a serious push. The Lynx star became just the second player in league history to finish a regular season with a 50-40-90 shooting split, a rare feat in basketball at any level. For much of the season, Collier looked poised to capture her first MVP, but a late-season ankle injury sidelined her for seven games—a stretch that coincided with the Aces' remarkable winning run.
Collier, reflecting on her season, said, "I'm really proud of myself. You know, 50/40/90 is something that's only been done twice, so I am really proud I was able to do that." (ESPN) Still, Wilson's late push and the Aces' surge proved decisive in the final voting.
Wilson's season was also highlighted by a record-tying 38-point performance in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Seattle Storm, which propelled Las Vegas into the semifinals for the seventh consecutive year. That game, a 74-73 thriller, showcased Wilson's ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
Off the court, Wilson's influence continues to grow. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert praised her as "a global icon, a global ambassador, not just for our game but all women’s sports and all sports." (CNN, NPR) In 2024, Wilson led Team USA to an eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Paris, earning MVP honors at the tournament—a triumph that further burnished her international reputation.
Wilson's humility and perspective were on full display after her latest accolade. "I was a young girl that didn't even like the sport. I didn't want to play; I don't like to sweat, but now my name's in the history books forever," she shared. "These are the moments that I'm like, 'No, this is why you wake up every morning and do what you do.'" (ESPN)
Looking ahead, Wilson and the Aces are far from finished. The team faces the Indiana Fever in a highly anticipated semifinal series beginning Sunday, September 21. Wilson, ever the competitor, is focused on the challenge ahead: "My main goal is exactly what we need to do today, is to get a win against a really good Indiana Fever team." (ESPN)
As the WNBA playoffs heat up, all eyes are on Wilson and the Aces. With her fourth MVP trophy in hand and her team surging, Wilson's legacy continues to grow—one record, one game, and one season at a time.
