Defending champions Las Vegas Aces have had an uncharacteristically poor start to the season, seemingly suffering from a championship hangover. But A’ja Wilson is immune to it. The center has continued where she left off in 2023 and her performances have her in the running for a second MVP award. The superstar has been so dominant this year, that she’s earning comparisons to Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
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Former Los Angeles Sparks star Chiney Ogwumike compared Wilson’s stats in 2024 to O’Neal’s from his MVP-winning campaign in 2000 and they are almost a mirror image of each other. The analyst also showcased the similarities in their playing styles with clips and claimed that the Aces superstar is no less dominant than the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was in his prime. She said, “Both of these players straight up own the paint… They both know how to score down shots.”
Wilson’s dominance this season is unparalleled. She’s leading the league in points per game (28) and is second in rebounds (11.5), and blocks (2.5). Like O’Neal in his prime, the Aces’ ace has been nearly unstoppable, scoring at will on the offensive end and stuffing shots at a stunning rate on defense.
Wilson’s current season stats are significantly higher than her MVP award-winning campaign in 2022. The two-time and reigning Defensive Player of the Year is seemingly set to win her second MVP award, joining Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie on the list of players to win both awards at least twice. While the numbers and accolades would suggest Wilson is in her prime, she believes she hasn’t even scratched the surface of her capabilities as a player.
A’ja Wilson sends a scary message to the rest of the WNBA
At 27, A’ja Wilson’s trophy cabinet is already stacked enough for some to argue that she’s the greatest women’s basketball player ever. However, in an interview with Vinciane Ngomsi, the Aces superstar claimed she is not in the GOAT debate yet but intends to be. She said,
“I’d love to have my name in conversations when you are talking about the greatest women’s basketball player to ever play… But in my eyes, I still have a lot more that I have to do to even be in that conversation… I feel like they’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg… I’m only letting people see pieces… I’m like, ‘Wait until I’m really trying to get there work towards that.'”
Wilson added that she took note of her fourth-place finish in the 2023 WNBA MVP race, claiming she took it as voters doubting her ability, pushing her to play harder. The rest of the league should consider the superstar’s admission a bad omen.
Wilson’s claim that she’s only shown the “tip of the iceberg” of her abilities while having an MVP, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and two Finals MVPs in her trophy cabinet is a serious warning. She’s already among the greatest women’s basketball players ever. But she’s forewarned the league that she intends to sit on the throne all alone.
