by Last Wednesday, A’ja Wilson broke the WNBA season scoring record previously held by Jewell Lloyd by 939 points. With less than 30 seconds left in the first half of the Fever and Aces game, she made a pull-up jumper to hit 941 points. She’s currently averaging over 27 points a game and almost 12 rebounds—Wilson is in the race for this year’s WNBA MVP. Last year, many people believed that Wilson was snubbed for the award in favor of New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart. She has always been a dominant force for both the Aces and Team USA.
2023 Season
In 2023, A’ja Wilson took third place in MVP voting, below runner-up Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun and winner Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty. The point totals are as follows:
- First-place votes are worth ten points.
- Second-place votes are worth seven points.
- Third-place votes are worth five points.
- Fourth-place votes are worth three points.
Breanna Stewart finished with 20 first-place votes, 23 second-place votes, 17 third-place votes, and 0 fourth-place votes. She finished with 446 total points. Alyssa Thomas finished with 23 first-place votes, 12 second-place votes, 25 third-place votes, and 0 fourth-place votes. She finished with 439 total points. A’ja Wilson finished with 17 first-place votes, 25 second-place votes, 17 third-place votes, and one fourth-place vote. She finished with 433 total points.
Many Fans were angry with the final results because they believed that A’ja Wilson had a better season than both Brenna Steward and Alyssa Thomas. The Aces star played in all 40 games and helped her team to a 32-6 regular season. She averaged 22.8 points with 55.7% shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. She led her team to the WNBA Championships in 2022 and 2023. While I believe Wilson outplayed Thomas and should have come in second over her, Breanna Stewart was the rightful choice for MVP last season.
2024 season
The case for A’ja Wilson to be the 2024 WNBA MVP could not be more apparent. There has not been another player as consistently dominant all season. I believe the only players that have come close are the reigning MVP, Breanna Stewart, and the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier. Stewart averages around 20 points a game, and Collier averages around 20 points. The odds are in Wilson’s favor; she is currently sitting at -3500, while Collier has moved to +3000.
Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are currently sitting at a 20-12 record and have clinched a spot in the playoffs. The Aces are seeking to be three-time consecutive champions after winning in 2022 and 2023. Personally, I think that the biggest competition for the Aces this year is the New York Liberty. The Liberty have completed a regular season sweep of the Aces. Liberty has a 30-6 record, showing no signs of slowing down. While the Aces may have taken down the Liberty 3-1 last season, I would not count on the playoffs unfolding the same way this season.
I can see a situation arising for Wilson this year named Caitlin Clark. Having a historic rookie season, Clark is currently sitting in third place in terms of MVP voting. She is currently averaging about 20 points, eight assists, almost six rebounds, and one steal per game. While I believe Clark should win Rookie of the Year, she is not having an A’ja Wilson-caliber season.
Conclusion
A’ja Wilson should be the WNBA MVP for the 2024 season. She has proven time and time again that she is the most consistent and dominant player the league has. Wilson is the first WNBA player to have over a thousand points in a single season. She has the best stats out of any player in the running. She also has a case for Defensive Player of the Year. There should not be any doubt in anyone’s mind who the MVP should be this season. Especially if Wilson leads the Aces to their third consecutive WNBA title.
My predictions for the WNBA awards:
Most Valuable Player: A’ja Wilson
Defensive Player of the Year: Napheesa Collier
Rookie of the Year: Caitlin Clark
Most Improved Player of the Year: DiJonai Carrington
Sixth Player of the Year: Sophie Cunningham
Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve
