A’ja Wilson Shines in 2023 WNBA Season
At the conclusion of the exhilarating 2023 WNBA season, the Las Vegas Aces celebrated their second consecutive championship victory, with A’ja Wilson earning the coveted Finals MVP title. During the team’s triumphant rally, Wilson shared a powerful message that resonated with her teammates and fans alike: “Whoever you are out there that voted me fourth (for MVP), thank you. Thank you so much. I wanna say I appreciate you, ’cause that just means that I got a lot more work to do.” This statement exemplified her relentless drive for improvement and her commitment to excellence.
Despite the Aces’ performance in the 2024 season falling short of expectations, Wilson has continued to excel on the court. True to her vow made last October, she returned as an even more formidable player in her seventh year in the WNBA. Already renowned as a two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the record holder for the most points scored in a single season.
In a remarkable game against the Indiana Fever, Wilson scored her 941st point in the second quarter, surpassing Jewell Loyd’s previous single-season record of 939 points set in 2023. The past two years have seen numerous WNBA single-season records shattered, particularly following the expansion of the regular season to 40 games. When the league first emerged in 1997, the season comprised only 28 games, gradually increasing to 30 the following year, and then 32 until 2002. From 2003 to 2019, the regular season was set at 34 games, during which Diana Taurasi established the scoring record that stood until last season.
However, it’s important to note that Wilson’s incredible statistics do not solely rely on the extended schedule to break records. By the 34-game mark, she had amassed 929 points, a total that outstrips any previous player in league history, easily surpassing Taurasi’s 860 points in 2006. Wilson entered Wednesday’s game averaging an impressive 27.3 points per game.
To achieve the highest-scoring average in a single WNBA season, she needs just 83 more points over the final five games, which would allow her to eclipse Taurasi’s record average of 25.3 points.
In addition to her scoring prowess, Wilson leads the league in various other categories, including defensive rebounds, blocks, turnover percentage, and win shares. Her performance has been nothing short of spectacular, solidifying her status as the overwhelming favorite for the MVP award this season. “I don’t want it to ever get lost on how good (A’ja) is,” remarked Aces coach Becky Hammon prior to the Fever game. “She just does it all. She’s in the middle of a run that sometimes I want to shake her and say, do you know how good you are? But then I don’t want to shake her because I don’t want to wake her up. She can just stay in whatever zone she’s in.”
Wilson’s remarkable achievements have placed her in the company of the league’s all-time greats. As she progresses through her seventh season, she is on track to challenge Taurasi’s legacy as the league’s all-time leading scorer. With a scoring average of 20.9 points per game at this stage in her career, Wilson is slightly ahead of Taurasi’s 20.7 points, and thanks to the WNBA’s expanded schedule, she has the potential to reach Taurasi’s total scoring output in fewer seasons.
For now, both Wilson and the Aces are focused on their quest for a third championship title. However, her individual records and accomplishments are a testament to her exceptional talent and dedication to the game.
Required reading
- Is A’ja Wilson’s WNBA MVP candidacy faltering? Who else could win? Our experts debate
- A’ja Wilson named Nike signature athlete, sets sneaker collection release for 2025
- Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking WNBA season: The history she’s made and the marks she’s chasing
(Photo: Justin Casterline / NBAE via Getty Images)
