A’ja Wilson is having an outstanding summer. Just weeks after leading Team USA to Olympic gold as the tournament MVP, she clinched a victory for the Las Vegas Aces with a game-winner against Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky. However, the 28-year-old hilariously downplayed her performance afterwards.
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The butt of the joke was her poor shooting performance on the night. Wilson shot 28.6% from the field on her way to 20 points against the Sky. This included a rough 8-27 from inside the paint and 0-1 from beyond the arc.
The 2x WNBA MVP made fun of these 20 missed shots shortly after the game. She playfully referred to them as ‘bricks’, a common basketball slang, to suggest how she could’ve built a house with them.
On X, she quipped, “Could’ve built a house with my bricks today but WONT HE DO IT on this lovely Sunday afternoon.”
Could’ve built a house with my bricks today but WONT HE DO IT on this lovely Sunday afternoon 🤸♀️ pic.twitter.com/QuZMF4r3mp
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) August 25, 2024
This self-mockery didn’t do justice to her impactful performance. For context, the Sky came out strong on their home court. Four of their five starters reached double digits in points, and two did so in rebounds. Their star rookie, Angel Reese, particularly amazed the Wintrust Arena crowd with her double-double of 11 points, and 22 rebounds.
Amidst these challenges, Wilson became the Aces’ only hope. She made up for her uncharacteristic shooting night with her all-around basketball prowess. The 2x WNBA champion grabbed 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks to keep her team in the game.
Her leadership was truly noticeable in the final moments of this pulsating road game. With about a second left on the clock, Wilson cut to the paint to receive a pass near the rim from her teammate, Chelsea Gray. The Aces star then delivered a clutch two-handed layup to seal a 77-75 victory for the Aces.
This entire game showcased Wilson’s caliber as a true competitor. Rather than making peace with her shortcomings, she embraced them publicly. This captured her dedication to becoming a prominent WNBA figure, setting a benchmark for the rest of the league.
