Jayson Tatum and A’ja Wilson have just added another accolade to their already glowing profiles. NBA champion and WNBA superstar are not titles. The two talents are going to assume the spots from here on out as the cover athletes for the illustrious video game NBA2K. This prestigious honor not only celebrates their on-court ability but also crowns their iconic status—bridging real-world heroics with virtual stardom. With the Olympics coming up, A’ja Wilson’s success needs to be part of the team.

In a no-holds-barred discussion with Sue Bird, Tatum and Wilson, uncover an uncensored look into the minds of basketball royalty. While Tatum has been a key figure in the pursuit of an NBA title with the Boston Celtics, Wilson has had the experience of leading the Las Vegas Aces as the team everyone wants to dethrone. These rising stars have shown that their hunger for success goes far beyond personal accolades. Now, as they step into the light of gaming culture, Tatum and Wilson prove that true champions are always pursuing new courts to conquer.

A’ja Wilson’s candid conversation with Sue Bird reveals a champion’s mindset focused on growth and team success. While her NBA2K cover athlete status speaks to her prowess, Wilson’s words paint a picture of relentless self-improvement. “I can shoot a little but mostly good at threes and consistent,” she explains in the interview, touching on her offensive capabilities. Wilson’s progress extends beyond scoring, as she notes, “Something that I am proud of is playing with small spaces and being able to go more right.” This self-awareness and dedication to improvement hint at why Wilson has become one of the game’s brightest stars, with more insights to come on her journey from rookie to veteran.

A’ja Wilson’s stats are incredibly high this 2024 WNBA season: 27.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 1.8 steals, and 2.7 assists per game. She has posted six games where she scored 30 or more points and 15 games with 26 or more points this season. On top of that, she recently tied her career high for three-pointers made in a single game and became an all-time leading scorer in the history of the Las Vegas Aces, where she scored 4,301 points as she looks forward to the Olympics this year.

A’ja Wilson’s Challenge for the Olympics 2024

With a remarkable career that showed much resilience, Sue Bird spoke of how failures fueled her growth. She talks about the setback in the beginning when she got knocked out in the first round, She adds that this was going to be one of the worst experiences in my life. But that had motivated her to go abroad and play. That was very rewarding in experience as well as success among players. Bird indicated that battling through such challenges helped her start realizing that failure is not as big as it appears.

A’ja Wilson, heading into her second Olympics, A’ja Wilson values personal growth above almost anything else. She reflects on the journey and confesses to areas wherein she once struggled. She went further to stress how it is overcoming challenges that have made her game, “The worst experiences made me better; I can handle it now.” Sue Bird also praised the development of Wilson, saying the youngster showed resilience after ACL injuries. She was ready for both playoffs and the Tokyo Olympics, where she thrived with no pressure like any rookie.

When asked about her role as a model for aspiring athletes, Wilson said it was about having big dreams and looking up to role models. Her humble admission that the worst experiences had made her better resonated with Bird, who, in Wilson, saw much of herself. Bird capped off the discussion with a nice crescendo, mentioning how far Wilson’s ratings rose from 90 to 98. This fact-check delivered with pride beamed across his face, reflecting real pride in the work of Wilson.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.