As the Las Vegas Aces took the court this season, A’ja Wilson wanted to redeem herself from last year’s MVP miss. Wilson, who had helped the Aces clinch their second consecutive Championship title in 2023, had expressed her dissatisfaction with the MVP result when she failed to bag the award. Thus, this season she was clear that she wanted to go ahead and give her best to better her chances of sweeping the honor. However, Gilbert Arenas claims that the 28-year-old star’s performances are not only driven by her hunger but also by something that her franchise did not have in the season’s beginning.

On Wednesday, Arenas and his co-hosts reflected on Wilson’s exceptional season on his podcast Gil’s Arena. While everyone was praising the 2x Olympic gold medalist for how she is on pace for the best WNBA season ever, the 3x NBA All-Star pointed out the major factor that has added to her output.

“What I’m saying is she couldn’t average 22-23 and 10 because there’s a whole entity that’s missing so someone had to double their production, right? Like one whole person is gone. So she had to up her production so it’s not like Chelsea’s been playing how she’s been playing for last two years because if she has been playing the team has been better then she wouldn’t be averaging 27,” Arenas stated.

The Las Vegas Aces mainstay player Chelsea Gray had to leave the court when she suffered a foot injury during Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA Finals. The Aces lost the game by an 87-73 margin. But they recovered in Game 4, ultimately bagging the Championship title. The effects of the injury continued this year for Gray, who missed the first 12 games this season. Although she has returned, she doesn’t seem to be in full swing, forcing Wilson to step up her game, as per Arenas.

The Aces have won 21 games and lost 12 this season with Wilson being the star in their victories. She averages a whopping 27.5 points per game with 12.1 rebounds per game and looks to continue her on-song performances. For her exceptional displays, many consider her the top candidate for the MVP award this season. Plus her stats are way higher than any of the other W seasons she has played.

Her previous career high was in the 27th WNBA iteration where she logged 22.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. To top that, Wilson might also break Jewell Loyd’s WNBA season record of 939 points. The 27-year-old currently has 909 points, only 30 points shy of the Seattle Storm guard’s record with 7 games to go. But is Arenas correct? Is Chelsea Gray really struggling to bring out the ‘Point Gawd’ in herself?

Verifying Chelsea Gray’s season so far and its effects on A’ja Wilson

The Connecticut Sun drafted Gray as the eleventh overall pick during the 2014 WNBA draft. She took the time to show her brilliance and became a primary player during her time with the Los Angeles Sparks from 2016 to 2020. Thus, when the Aces picked her, she didn’t have much problem scoring high numbers and adjusting to the team. During the 2023 season, Gray averaged a career-high 15.3 points and 7.3 assists per game.

Hence, when her foot injury cut her time short with the Aces, Wilson had to take the onus in Game 4 of the Championship Finale. And now, with her missing the first 12 games, the South Carolina alum had to do the talking on the court. Despite her comeback, Gray’s numbers are not up to the mark as she averages just 7.8 points with 4.9 assists per game.

Hopefully, she will return to her form while Wilson will continue to dominate the hardwood with her stunning displays. Perhaps Gray will identify the areas and make sure that there is not much pressure on her team. Still, Las Vegas Aces remain favorites for many as they chase a threepeat mission.