Diana Taurasi Hands A’ja Wilson “Best Rebounder I’ve Ever Seen” Title After Record-Breaking Night

A’ja Wilson made history in the Las Vegas Aces’ 84-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun. The 28-year-old reached the milestone of surpassing 1,000 points in a single WNBA season. This achievement made her the center of attention, with Diana Taurasi showering high praise for her.

Taurasi spoke about Wilson’s evolution during the Phoenix Mercury’s latest post-game conference. The 42-year-old veteran lauded the Aces star for revolutionizing the post-up game in the league. She also commended the 2x WNBA MVP for her steady desire to improve over time.

“What A’ja is doing right now is really just changing the evolution of what you think a post-player is more than anything. She is doing it in an unconventional way. She doesn’t post up, she added the three and that’s one thing about A’ja that I have found over the years by being around her and watching her evolution is, every year she gets better.”

The Mercury staple didn’t stop there. She praised Wilson as the best rebounder she has ever witnessed. Taurasi also discussed how the 2x WNBA champion’s passion for basketball could take her gameplay to even greater heights.

“I have gone back and forth and I can probably say, she is the best rebounder I have ever seen. Hands down. And when you can secure the ball for your time, you are already giving your team a chance to win. She is playing out of her mind and she is gonna continue to do it cause she loves the game.”

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi praised Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson after Wilson became the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a season earlier on Sunday.#WNBA #WNBATwitter #ValleyTogether #AllInLV pic.twitter.com/EklVRkzg8m

— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) September 16, 2024

These remarks from an all-time great undoubtedly made Wilson’s night even more special. They also hinted at her untapped potential and suggested that she could continue breaking records as her career progresses.

Wilson‘s latest achievements help substantiate these thoughts. For instance, she surpassed Jewell Loyd’s record for most points in a single season (939) during Wednesday’s road game against the Indiana Fever. She accomplished this feat while playing three fewer games and taking nearly 100 fewer shots than the Seattle Storm star.

The Aces star built on this in the following games. Her 15 points in the subsequent match brought her closer to the 1,000-point milestone. She ultimately reached this landmark during the fourth quarter against the Sun. She hit a fadeaway jumper with 1 minute and 57 seconds left on the clock to become the first and only player to achieve this feat in a single WNBA season.

Point number 1,000 for A’ja Wilson.

The only player to ever score 1k in a single WNBA szn pic.twitter.com/aQhJ2k0zht

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 15, 2024

Wilson still has two regular-season games left to extend her record. More importantly, she could be back in this position soon. As Taurasi suggested, the South Carolina-born has an unwavering commitment to her craft. It will not be surprising to see the Aces talisman surpass her milestone in the coming seasons.