When the conversation turns to this season’s MVP race, there’s one name that comes to mind without hesitation: Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson. She’s solidified her case, especially after dropping over 40 points in two of her last three games, proving why she’s the frontrunner. However, former basketball legend Cheryl Miller doesn’t seem fazed by Wilson’s standout performances, hinting that she wouldn’t have been intimidated even if they were competing head-to-head.

Recently, the often considered GOAT of women’s basketball featured in a discussion where she expressed her views on the current scenario at WNBA. “There’s no question and no doubt in my mind that I could play. I would have been not just competitive in the W, wouldn’t missed the beat, wouldn’t have missed the beat at all,” stated Miller via Come and Talk 2 Me.

However, she later brought A’ja Wilson into the conversation and spoke a few words which sounded like a direct challenge to the Aces’ star. Miller explained, “I look at even, even today, A’ja might be the one, like yeah she’d get, she’d get hers. But, God I would always make sure I got 10 more than she did or she wouldn’t get hers. I mean, I always had. I wasn’t just a score. I could I feel very comfortable that I could guard A’ja and make it very difficult.”

It’s unfortunate that Cheryl Miller, now 60, never had the opportunity to play in the WNBA, as her playing career ended before the league’s launch in 1997. However, she did leave her mark on the league as a head coach, leading the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2000. During her four-year tenure, she guided the team to the playoffs three times, solidifying her influence on the game even from the sidelines. She recently got an opportunity to coach Team WNBA which outclassed Team USA in the All-Star game. Now, let’s take a look at Miller’s basketball career and her legacy which puts her in a position to normally challenge A’ja Wilson.

What drives Cheryl Miller to be so confident against A’ja Wilson and other WNBA players?

Cheryl Miller’s journey into the basketball world began early, at just 14 years old. During her four years at Riverside Polytechnic High School, she became a standout player, earning a four-year letter and leading her team to an impressive 132–4 record. In 1981, she was honored with the Dial Award as the national high school scholar-athlete of the year. Notably, Miller became the first player, male or female, to earn Parade magazine All-American honors four times. But, what truly brought her into the limelight was when she scored a century of points in a game.

It was 1982 when Miller’s team locked horns with Riverside Norte Vista High School and the game resulted in the favor of Miller’s with a score line of 175-15. Well, what truly made headlines was the 18-year-old Cheryl who scored a massive 105 points which was 60 percent of her team’s total. “It was one of those nights. Players talk about being in the zone, and I had a big zone,” Miller recently said while she recalled that game.

She continued this brilliant run to her college life as she earned the Naismith College Player of the Year honor on three occasions while playing for the University of South California. And hold on if you think her excellence was limited to just college and high school, the former legend has also won five gold medals with Team USA, which includes one from the 1984 Olympics as well. Cheryl Miller’s confidence and legacy shine through as she casually challenges A’ja Wilson, a testament to her enduring competitive spirit.